


Humanity's Greatest Bedtime Story

by gothicdancer



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angels, Angst, Bedtime Stories, Character Study, Childhood Memories, Cute Kids, Domestic Fluff, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Flashbacks, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Manga Spoilers, Mild Language, Minor Violence, Mpreg, Multi, Multilingual Character, Nostalgia, Original Character(s), Panic Attacks, Parent-Child Relationship, Sentimental, Serious Injuries, Slice of Life, Survivor Guilt, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-06
Updated: 2015-12-02
Packaged: 2018-02-16 07:34:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 44
Words: 154,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2261271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gothicdancer/pseuds/gothicdancer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eren and Levi's son has a nightmare, but Eren is out for the night, so the storytelling duties fall to Levi. He tells their son the best story he knows. Was originally a one shot, now a series of stories.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Bedtime Story

**Author's Note:**

> So I caved and got an AO3 account. This is the same HGBS from FF.net, now edited for any grammar/punctuation mistakes. Enjoy.
> 
> And, the most important note of all: Eren and Levi's son's name will be revealed in the final chapter.

Levi groaned as the little hands on his roused him from his sleep. He blinked a few times, and the small figure standing next to his bed came into focus. Those big, green eyes were locked on him, and he registered the unshed tears swimming in them. Sighing through his nose, he rubbed his eyes and pushed himself up on his elbow. "What is it, baby?" he said.

The little boy whimpered and clutched the stuffed toy in his arms tightly against his chest. "Nightmare."

Levi nodded, yawning and sitting up straight. He reached down and pulled the little boy into his lap, gently holding him close. The little boy immediately snuggled up to him and noticeably relaxed.

Not too long ago, this never would have happened. Levi had never been able to picture being this tender and loving with anyone. He was a soldier, a disciplined, strict, and demanding lance corporal, and he had thought he always would be. But then, all of a sudden, he had a person in his life who needed him, who depended on him for everything. As soon as the little boy had been born, he had felt his heart swell and burst with a love he hadn't even known existed. He shook his head slightly as he pondered this, still holding the little boy in his arms.

"It's okay," he murmured, pressing his lips against the child's temple. "It was just a bad dream; it wasn't real. You're safe."

This seemed to comfort the child, because his grip on his toy relaxed. Levi rubbed his arm soothingly and buried his nose in the child's hair, and the little boy nodded, rubbing his eyes. "Thank you, Papa."

Levi let the tiniest of smiles grace his lips. The fact that he could bring comfort and happiness to another person, that he could do something other than kill, made his heart feel light. He had spent so many years fighting and killing, never knowing he was even capable of giving love and life. For the first time in his life, he was truly surprised at himself.

The child looked up at him and smiled wide. "Papa," he said, "story?"

Levi's breath hitched and his narrow eyes widened slightly. A story? Oh no, that was his husband's job. He was terrible at telling child-friendly stories.

But Eren wasn't there. He was spending the night with Jean, Armin, Mikasa, and the rest of the old gang from the 104th Trainee Squad, and he wouldn't be home until morning. When it came to comforting their child this time, Levi was on his own.

And he was terrified.

But those big, green eyes kept staring at him expectantly, and Levi couldn't say no. Those beautiful eyes their baby had inherited from his daddy would be the death of him. He couldn't resist whenever either his husband or his child looked at him with them, and they were even more impossible to resist when both sets looked at him at the same time. Levi groaned quietly. He had spoiled both of them, and they had made him soft.

Letting out a surrendering sigh, Levi leaned against the headboard of the king-sized bed and tucked the warm, soft blankets around himself and his son, the boy still cuddled up to his chest. The child hugged his stuffed toy and smiled, pleased that he'd have happy thoughts when he fell asleep again.

"Alright," Levi began, "once upon a time…"

_There was peaceful village in the countryside. Nothing too exciting usually happened in the village, so the people were very scared when a giant, horrible monster appeared and started destroying everything. Luckily, there were very strong fighters in the village, and they were able to capture the monster. They brought it to a secret prison underground where it couldn't hurt anyone._

_There was something strange about the monster though. As soon as it realized that it couldn't get out of the prison, it stopped trying to escape. One of the fighters, a young man, came to visit it, and he was surprised that the monster seemed sad._

_"Why are you not trying to escape?" the man asked._

_"Because I'll never undo this curse now," the monster replied._

_"You're not actually a monster?" the man asked._

_"I don't know," the monster replied. "I've been a monster for such a long time that I don't remember if I've ever looked any other way. I just know I look this way now because of the curse."_

_The man felt very bad for the monster, but he was still careful. He wanted to make sure the monster wasn't trying to trick him. "What can break the curse?" he asked._

_"It's not 'what'," the monster said. "It's 'who.' A person can break the curse, but I don't know who."_

_"Oh, I understand," the man said. "You weren't trying to destroy our village. You were looking for the person who could break the curse."_

_And so, for the next few weeks, the man visited the monster every single day. He brought it meals and talked to it about anything and everything he could think of. He told it about the outside world and how beautiful it was, about the village and how happy it usually was, about the fighters and how they put their lives on the line to protect the people no matter what, everything._

_But then, one day, the monster asked about the man's family and friends, and the man became very sad. "I don't have any family or friends," he said. "They all died a long time ago. So I guess I'm all alone, too."_

_"No, you're not," the monster said, smiling sweetly. "You have me. And I'm not all alone either, because I have you."_

_So the man and the monster became friends. Soon the man trusted the monster so much that he actually went inside the prison cell and sat next to it. Eventually, he was able to convince the other fighters to let the monster out of its cell and back above ground. With the fighters constantly watching it, the village people weren't scared, and they even came to trust it when they saw how friendly it was towards them. The entire village became peaceful again, and the man and the monster were both very happy._

_But then, one day, another monster came to the village, and this one wasn't friendly at all. And, even worse, it wasn't alone. Dozens of other bad monsters followed it into the village, and they started to destroy everything. The fighters tried to stop them, but there were too many. Even the young man, who was actually the strongest of all the fighters, was easily defeated._

_The good monster held the wounded man in its large hands and started to cry. "No, please don't die," it said. "Please, no, I promise I'll defeat every single one of these bad monsters. I'll do it all by myself if I have to! Please just don't die!" It gently rubbed the tip of its nose against the man's chest before setting him down in a safe place and running towards the bad monsters. It let out loud, thundering roars as it fought each and every one of them, tears still running down its face._

_Another fighter came to the young man's aid, and, with a little help, he was able to open his eyes and sit up. When he did, he saw the good monster fighting the bad monsters alone, and it was winning! The bad monsters fell one by one until there were none left. The village people cried out with joy and celebrated the good monster's victory, but it had no strength left to join them, and it fell over into a field of flowers with a loud thump. The young man gasped and ran to the good monster, and he began to cry when he saw how hurt the good monster was._

_"Please wake up!" the man begged, slapping his hands against the monster's face. "Please don't die!"_

_The monster's eyes cracked open, and it smiled down at the man. "I'm so happy…you're alive," it said, but then its eyes fell closed again._

_The man kept crying and pressed his arms and body up against the monster's face. "Please don't die," he whispered. "I don't want to lose anymore friends. Please, I care about you so much. I…I love you."_

_And, just like that, a giant puff of steam burst from the monster's body. It was so thick that the man had to jump back, and he couldn't see anything. But soon the steam rose into the air, and, when it finally cleared, the monster's body was gone. Lying there instead was another young man who slowly blinked his eyes open and looked up at the fighter with a look of pure joy. "You did it!" he exclaimed. "You broke the curse! The bad monsters took all my family and friends away when I was little and cursed me to become one of them so I could never love or be loved ever again. But the fact that you love me saved me! I love you, too!"_

_The fighter man gasped as the other young man stood and held his arms out for him. Nodding his head and crying happy tears, he jumped into the man's open arms, knowing he would never be alone ever again._

"The two men immediately began living together, and, a few years later, they got married. And then, another few years later-"

Levi stopped when he heard soft snoring come from his chest. He looked down and cracked a tiny smile at his son, who had already fallen asleep. The little boy looked so at peace as he hugged his stuffed toy, which was actually a friendly-looking version of Eren's Titan form. It was his favorite toy, as his parents had told him upon giving it to him that it would always protect him.

Levi pressed a kiss onto the boy's head and settled him down next to him in the bed, tucking the blankets around him. The slight smile still graced his lips as he whispered the ending of the story in the boy's ear.

"Another few years later, they had a precious baby boy, and they were the happiest they could ever be. The end."

Another kiss.

"Good night, baby, sweet dreams."

~

The front door opened around mid-morning the next day. "I'm home!"

"Daddy!" the little boy squealed, running from the kitchen and jumping into his father's arms. Eren laughed as he picked the child up and hugged him to his chest, sprinkling kisses all over his little face. The child laughed excitedly and hugged him tightly around his neck as he walked the two of them back to the kitchen.

Standing at the stove was Levi, warming up a mix of oats and fruit for the three of them. Eren, who now towered over Levi at a good 6'5", bent down and gave his husband a kiss. When they pulled away, Levi showed him a smile, something he had been doing more often recently. "Welcome home," he said, gently taking their son away and setting him down on the floor. He handed him a stack of plates and said, "Go set the table."

"Okay!" the little boy said cheerfully, and he ran into the next room.

As soon as he was gone, Levi shot Eren a playful glare. "You're not allowed out overnight anymore, you stupid brat," he said. "I had to write humanity's next great novel last night because of it."

"YOU told a bedtime story last night?" Eren seemed legitimately stunned, and it only annoyed Levi more.

The older man sighed. "Don't act like it's the most impressive thing I've ever done, idiot. It wasn't even fictional. I'd tell it to you, but you already know it."

A grin split Eren's face, and he planted another kiss on Levi's lips. When he giggled into the kiss, Levi pushed him away and playfully smacked his arm. Eren couldn't stop grinning even as he did so. And both were still smiling as they carried their breakfast into the dining room, where their son was waiting patiently.

A fighter, a good monster, and their baby boy.

END


	2. Proposal Story

"By the way," Eren said as he filled his spoon with another mouthful of the sweetened grains in his breakfast bowl, "don't eat too much. Connie invited the whole gang to a picnic for lunch. We should each bring something, he said."

Levi raised an eyebrow at his husband and held his own filled spoon to his lips. "What for?" he said back, suspicion and slight disgust in his voice. Yes, Connie was the type of person who liked to have fun with a large group of people, but his idea of fun usually included alcohol and some ridiculous stunt involving the 3D Maneuver Gear. A picnic seemed too out of place for his taste. And besides, the idea of eating on the ground repulsed Levi to no end. Tables outside were okay as long as they had been wiped down, but blankets on the ground left little protection against dirt, bugs, small animals, and germs in general. Why anyone would find it fun was beyond him. Unless…!

"Sasha's trying to get free food, isn't she?"

Eren let out an amused snort. "Possibly. She might have gotten him to send out the invite to make it less suspicious."

The shorter man rolled his eyes and swallowed the last spoonful of his breakfast. "I guess they're made for each other, those idiots."

"Oh, come on, Sasha has great instincts, and Connie might not be too bright, but they're not idiots."

"That's open to interpretation."

Now it was Eren's turn to roll his eyes. As much as Levi had softened over the years, between their marriage and the arrival of their baby boy, he still had that same grumpy personality. It was actually sort of comforting for Eren though, to know that the man he had fallen in love with was never really going to change too much.

Levi was about to get up from the table when a thought struck him. "Are we going outside the walls for this picnic?"

"Ah, so we ARE going!" Eren grinned cheekily, causing their son to giggle into his filled spoon and splatter some of the oats onto the table. The child gasped at what he had done and looked up at his papa with fearful eyes. He had been taught from the moment he could understand human speech not to make a mess anywhere in the house, and he had seen how vigorously his papa cleaned whenever something wasn't up to his cleanliness standards, so he expected a scolding and punishment.

Levi saw the panic on his son's face and let out a long, heavy sigh through his nose. Pulling a handkerchief from his pocket, he stood and walked to where the little mess was. "Accidents happen. Try not to do it again," he murmured, kissing the boy's head, wiping the food away, and looking up at his husband. "So? Inside or outside the walls?"

Eren's lips tilted upwards in a small smile. "Connie wants to go outside."

Levi nodded. "We'll bring our gear just in case." He looked down at the little boy, whose expression had lightened but still held some caution. Seeing this and not wanting to see fear in those big, beautiful eyes again, he knelt down to the child's level and said, "What do you think we should bring for Uncle Connie and Aunt Sasha?"

~

The gates closed behind the group as they headed out towards an open, comfortable spot only about half a mile away from the walls. Thanks to Erwin, Levi, and the combined efforts of the entire Survey Corps mixed with their retrieval of Reiner, Bertholdt, and Annie back to humanity's side, the Titan population had decreased dramatically in just a few years. Titan sightings were becoming increasingly rare, and the threat of invasion was almost non-existent. A few still roamed the general area outside the walls, but they rarely attacked in groups anymore. One Titan versus an entire group of veteran Survey Corps soldiers was nothing. Therefore, it was safe to venture outside (yet stay close to) the walls without horses, but all soldiers usually brought their 3D Maneuver Gear anyway. Better paranoid than eaten.

Upon arriving at a cool, shaded yet open area, blankets were set down and plates were passed around. Eren and Levi had their son pass cups to everyone, as the child had suggested making tea for the picnic. "What if we have a lot of food but nothing to drink?" he had said, later adding that "Papa makes the best tea ever!"

And how could Levi argue with that logic? He leaned against his husband's shoulder, allowing his defenses to lower slightly as he watched his little boy kindly offer cups and tea to everyone. He bristled a bit at one point when Ymir ruffled his hair, but Historia quickly fixed it and thanked him for the drinks with that sweet, angelic smile of hers. Annie, who was sitting between them and Reiner, snorted when she heard the blond man mutter something about not getting to her quick enough.

Soon the different plates of food made their rounds as well, mostly breads and cold vegetable soups. Levi sipped at the potato stew Sasha had made herself and silently admitted to himself that it wasn't bad. Eren noticed the subtle look of satisfaction on his husband's face and cracked a smile as he bit into a piece of bread. In the back of his mind, he wished he could have some substantial protein to munch on. Meat was becoming more available, but it was still a rarity, reserved for special occasions.

That was when Connie placed a plate of meat on his blanket and stood.

Oh.

"Everyone! Thanks for coming out this afternoon. I wanted to share this with as many of you as possible." He wore a goofy grin and knelt down next to Sasha, who was in the middle of chewing a roll. A small line of drool ran down her chin, and her gaze shifted back and forth between Connie and the plate of meat. Her eyes widened when Connie pulled a small box from his pocket, and everyone suddenly knew why he had invited them outside the walls for a picnic.

"Sasha," he said, shaking a bit with a happy anxiety, "you're the best thing that’s ever happened to me. You mean the world to me. I'd face a million Titans alone for you. I want to stand by your side for the rest of our lives and share my life with you. I love you, Sasha Braus, so will you marry me?" And he opened the box to reveal a simple yet beautiful silver band.

Sasha's full cheeks turned bright pink, and tears started to form at the corners of her eyes, which still shifted back and forth between Connie and the plate of meat. Somehow, she managed to swallow the bread in her mouth, gulp a few mouthfuls of cool tea down, and cry out "YES!" as she threw her arms around her now-fiancé, swiftly grabbing a piece of meat and shoving it in her mouth along the way.

Levi raised a brow. "I can't tell what she's more excited about."

The whole group burst into cheers and applause for the happy couple. Connie was still shaking and Sasha was still crying as he slipped the ring onto her finger. Jean started chanting "KISS, KISS!" amongst all the noise, causing Mikasa to roll her eyes but keep clapping anyway. She chuckled quietly at Armin next to her, who had burst into tears because he "was just so happy he couldn't stand it."

Connie and Sasha did eventually kiss, once Sasha had swallowed the meat pieces in her mouth. They laughed at each other's bright red faces for a few seconds and then fell into a peaceful silence, just holding each other as their friends kept cheering. Eventually, the noise died down, and Historia was the first one to ask what kind of dress Sasha wanted to wear. Hanji and Ymir pulled Sasha away from Connie so he couldn't hear what the women were planning, and even Annie and Mikasa found themselves unable to hide their excitement. Jean playfully slapped Connie on the back while Bertholdt ground his fist into his shaved head. Reiner couldn't stop laughing, and Armin couldn't stop crying.

Eren was just about to join them when he son returned to him and Levi. "Daddy," the little boy said, "what just happened?"

Eren grinned and pulled the little boy into his lap as Levi wrapped both his arms around his husband's larger one, a small, content smile on his face. "Uncle Connie just asked Aunt Sasha to marry him," Eren explained, "and she agreed, so they're engaged now. That means that they love each other so much that they want all of humanity to know it. They're going to have a very special ceremony to declare it, too. They're going to exchange matching rings so that everyone knows they love each other." He brought his hand with his own ring in front of the little boy's eyes, and Levi took that as his cue to show his matching ring off as well. "Just like Daddy and Papa."

A smile broke out onto the child's face. "Yay!" he squealed, clapping his hands together clumsily. He turned around in his father's lap so he was looking up at him. "Did you ask Papa to marry you like this, Daddy?"

"I would have said no if he had done this," Levi interrupted with a sigh.

Eren's smile softened as he glanced at his husband and then looked back down at his child. "No, I asked Papa to marry me in private. Let me tell you the story."

_Eren grinned into his pillow as he heard the front door to the house close early that morning. Levi would be out all day, if he kept his schedule. He was supposed to venture into Wall Sina with Erwin today to report on the Survey Corps and its progress in the fight against the Titans, leaving Eren home alone._

_But the young man wasn't about to waste the entire day in bed. What would be the point of spending a day in bed if Levi wasn't there to share it with him anyway? He quickly jumped up and pulled sheets off, throwing them into a pile on the floor. He then grabbed all the other linens from around the house and added them to the pile. Once the fabrics were all together, he stripped himself of his pajamas and threw them into a separate pile. He hurriedly put his day clothes on and tied an apron around his waist and a bandana around his head to keep his hair out of his eyes. Even if he had the whole day, there wasn't a moment to lose._

_He started by washing every single linen in the house, every sheet, every curtain, every tablecloth, every single one. Once they were all clean, he hung them up to dry outside (thankfully, a pleasant breeze was blowing through town that day) and went back inside to tackle the next chore. He briefly munched on a roll before deciding to start from the top and work his way down, so he pulled the ladder from the closet and started cleaning out the corners of the ceiling._

_Once the ceiling was clear, he made his way down the walls, making sure there were no cobwebs or little bits of dust trying to hide from him. He also wiped down all the windows, rubbing the cleaning cloth in circles until it squeaked and he could see his reflection in the glass. He gave himself a soft smile. He hadn't changed too much over the years, the one exception being his massive growth spurt. His hair had grown out a little bit, and he had become more muscular, but his face had only matured a little bit. He still had those same large, green eyes and that sweet smile, so he still had a young look about him. And it was with the glee of a child that he thought about what he was planning for the evening._

_But it would never happen if he didn't finish his chores. Snapping back to reality, he finished rubbing the windows clean and wiping down the walls. Then he went for the counter and table tops, paying extra attention to the ones in the kitchen. No little crumb could escape his sight, so he shoved another roll in his mouth before he began to clean, swearing that he wouldn't eat another bite until Levi came home that night to avoid any sort of mess. As soon as he swallowed, he was hunched over the counters and vigorously rubbing the cleaning cloth back and forth, being quite liberal with his soap use._

_He then moved onto the floor, sweeping them all twice and then getting down on his hands and knees to search for any little bits of food or dust or dirt. He even dug through the little cracks in the wood. Everything had to be spotless for Levi, so Eren left nothing overlooked._

_By the time he was done cleaning the house, the linens outside were dry. He brought them back inside and redressed the house, taking special care when he remade the bed. He was determined to make it as comforting and inviting and pristine as possible, despite the fact that, he hoped anyway, it would be a mess the next morning._

_The sun was starting to set by the time he was done with all of this. Eren pulled the bandana from his head and untied the apron, sighing and slumping in a chair in the living room. He had truly done it, he had cleaned the entire house from top to bottom. A chuckle escaped his lips, and he briefly wondered if this was coming off as desperate. Levi would probably think he had done something horrible and had cleaned so obsessively as an apology. He smirked and hauled himself out of the chair in favor of the kitchen. There was one thing he could make that he knew was easy to clean and that Levi would appreciate._

_The front door opened and closed about fifteen minutes later. A grumpy Levi paused in taking off his shoes at the door when he noticed just how perfect everything in the house was. His eyes darted all over, but he couldn't see a single speck of dust. He knelt down and swept his index finger across the floor, but no dirt colored it. Narrowing his eyes, he stood when he heard footsteps coming from the kitchen. In the doorway stood Eren, holding a tray of piping hot tea and small snacks with a pleasant smile on his face. "Welcome home."_

_"Alright, what did you do?" Levi deadpanned, lips curling into a disappointed frown. "What'd you break? Where'd you transform? Who'd you kill?"_

_Eren's smile turn into a triumphant grin. "Nothing, nowhere, and nobody! I just thought I'd do something nice for you."_

_Levi contemplated this. If Eren hadn't royally messed something up, what was he doing? If he wanted something, he usually flashed those impossible-to-resist puppy eyes and pouted until Levi agreed to whatever it was (which happened a lot). But here he was with a tray of delicious tea and an impossibly clean house, asking for nothing. The whole scene definitely intrigued him, and he had to admit that it was kind of hot. His expression softened as he walked over to Eren and stood on his tip-toes while Eren bent down to meet in a sweet, innocent kiss._

_"Thank you," Levi said as he pulled away, "this is quite nice."_

_Eren smiled down at him and set the tray on a nearby table. He then knelt down in front of Levi, their eyes never breaking contact, though Levi's eyes widened at the movement. Eren took Levi's hand in his and held it gently, placing a sweet kiss on it. "Levi," he said as he pulled away, "I love you with all my heart, and I want all of humanity to know it." He pulled a small box out from behind the tea kettle and opened it, revealing a simple, shining, silver ring. His smile widened as he said, "Levi, please, will you marry me?"_

_The older man didn't know what to say at first. He stood in a stunned silence for a few moments, drinking the scene in, and he quickly realized that it was perfect. A clean house, a kettle of hot tea, and the man he loved by his side forever, that was the ideal life._

_But he would never say that. "Oh, so you did want something," he said instead._

_Eren burst out laughing. "Yeah, sort of," he agreed, gazing up at Levi with those beautiful eyes and enticing him with that gorgeous smile. "Please, Levi, will you marry me?"_

_Levi sighed and leaned down, gently pressing his lips to Eren's. "Yes, you spoiled brat," he murmured when he pulled away just enough so he could speak, but he quickly pressed his lips against Eren's again so the younger man couldn't say anything stupid. Somehow, Eren managed to slip the ring onto Levi's finger and then wrap his arms around him, bringing him close to his chest. Instinctively, Levi snuggled up against him and placed his palms on each side of Eren's face so he could wipe the tears of happiness away from his eyes._

"And then we were married a few months later," Eren finished, maneuvering the ring off his finger. He held it up for his son to see, and the little boy squinted at it.

"Daddy, there's something written inside it."

Levi nodded. "It's the same on mine." He pulled his own off and held it next to Eren's so the boy could compare the two.

"Until the stars fall."

"It's the promise we made at our ceremony," Levi continued, slipping the ring back onto his finger. "When Daddy and I were married, we promised we'd love each other until the stars fell."

The little boy giggled. "Silly! That'll never happen!"

Eren smiled as he slipped his own ring back on. "Exactly."

And the three of them sat and watched as their friends fussed over the newly-engaged couple before them. Somehow, they knew it would work between them. At one point, Connie confessed that the reason he invited everyone to a picnic outside the walls was because Sasha loved three things in this world: food, friends, and nature.

Ah yes, they'd definitely live happily ever after, too.

END

 


	3. Lesson Story

_BANG!_

_CRASH!_

Eren and Levi immediately looked up from their afternoon tea and frantically ran towards where they had heard the sudden, loud noises. They skidded to a stop as soon as they came upon the living room, panting heavily with their eyes wide, drinking in the scene. There stood a guilty-looking little boy, a bouncy ball innocently rolling towards his feet, and a destroyed flower pot sitting in a messy pile of dirt, mud, water, and flower petals on the floor.

The child stared at his parents with huge, fearful eyes, knowing he was in serious trouble without anyone needing to say anything. He shook slightly and kept those eyes on his papa, who stared back with a ferocious, furious intensity.

"What. Did. You. Do," Levi demanded, growling each word out clearly through gritted teeth. His hands balled into fists, and his face was starting to turn a startling shade of red. Eren glanced nervously at his husband, mentally begging him not to do or say something he'd regret later.

The little boy stared at Levi, terrified at his papa's rage. He had never seen him so angry before, and he actually shrunk away out of fear. "I…I'm sorry, Papa."

"WHAT DID YOU DO?!" Levi suddenly shouted, his voice loud enough that it made both Eren and their son jump a bit.

"I…I'm sorry, Papa, I…um, it's raining o-outside and I, um…"

"YOU WHAT?!"

"I wanted to play ball!"

Levi froze but kept his gaze on his son. His normally narrow eyes were wide, and Eren fearfully recognized that look. The only other time he had ever seen that expression was when Levi fought Titans. More specifically, that was the look he saved for whenever he was fighting a Titan that had killed his friends and comrades. Eren didn't know why that look was suddenly appearing now, but he did know that Levi was suddenly seeing their son as an enemy, and that was not okay.

"Levi-"

"You stay out of this," the older man hissed, venom dripping from his voice. He shifted his eyes momentarily to give Eren a warning glare and then gazed back at their son. "How dare you. Do you know what you just did? Do you have any idea of how many house rules you just broke? How badly you ruined something that had real meaning to me? I don't even care about the mess. No, you did something much worse than make a mess. You destroyed a MEMORIAL for SOLDIERS, you horrible little MONSTER!"

That did it. The child burst into tears and ran past his parents, up the stairs, and to his room, slamming the door behind him.

Levi turned and was about to chase after him when a powerful tug forced him back. He stumbled and looked up at Eren, whose grip on his arm never faltered. Eren frowned sadly at his husband, shaking his head a bit. "Was it really necessary to call him a monster?" he asked.

"Shut up, you stupid brat," Levi snapped back, yanking his arm away. "He broke the rules by playing in the house, and, as a result, he made a huge mess and destroyed the memorial I put together."

"Levi-"

"Today is the anniversary of when Petra, Auruo, Erd, and Gunther were killed!"

Eren grabbed the older man's arm again to keep him still, pausing for a moment to find the right words. He bit his lip, careful not to break the skin, and let out a long sigh. "Yes, it is and we both know that, but he doesn't."

Levi's face slowly softened, and he shook his head lightly, eyes locked on the mess on the floor. The poor flowers hardly even looked like flowers anymore with their petals strewn about. Seeing them in such a state made Levi lower his head, as he didn't want to show Eren the emotion within him rising to the surface. Eren noticed this and gently wrapped his arms around his husband, cradling him against his chest and rocking them both slightly back and forth. He let out a short sigh, relieved that the tension was beginning to dissipate.

After a minute or so, Eren pulled away and tilted Levi's face up for a kiss. It was innocent and loving, just two pairs of lips touching without any real implications. Eren pulled away first, murmuring, "Why don't you take out your frustrations on cleaning this up. I'll go talk to him."

Levi wordlessly nodded, knowing that was for the best. He detached himself from his husband and went to the closet for his apron, bandana, and cleaning supplies.

~

The little boy was still crying into his pillow by the time Eren came upstairs. The sight of his son so sad broke his heart, but he kept a straight face, reminding himself that he had to comfort and teach a lesson at the same time. Taking a deep breath, he walked into the nursery and placed his hand on the child's back. The little boy looked up, eyes red and puffy and cheeks flushed pink with tear streaks. Seeing his daddy made the heavy tears stop so only little sniffles remained. Eren sat down on the bed and gently helped his son sit up straight while pulling a handkerchief from his pocket.

"Here," he said, "dry your eyes."

The little boy took the handkerchief and did so, still sniffing a bit as Eren soothingly rubbed his back. When he was done, he looked down at the floor, brought his knees to his chest, and said, "Papa loves cleaning more than me. And he yelled at me so much…I bet he hates me."

Eren glanced down at the child thoughtfully and then looked at a medium-sized box that held some toys on the other side of the room. Without a word, he got up, took some toys out of the box, put some in, and brought it back to his son. "Stand up," he finally said, placing the box in the child's arms when he did. "Okay, stand there holding that box for as long as you can." And he sat back down on the bed.

Watching his son try to stay standing was amusing, but the show came to an end all too quickly. With a grunt of annoyance, the little boy put the box down and turned back to his daddy. "It's big and heavy," he said. "I give up."

"Hmm, really?" Eren replied, resting his elbow on his knee and his face in his palm. "Interesting. Remember when Papa and I told you that you grew inside Papa's tummy until you were ready to be born? You know, you weighed as much as that box when you were born, and that's about as big as Papa's tummy got while you were inside him."

The child's eyes widened.

"And Papa had to carry that big, heavy weight around with him all the time. He wasn't allowed to give up. He had to wait for you to say that you were ready to come out. And then he had to have a special operation in order to make sure you came out safely. He said that it was the most painful thing he's ever experienced, worse than fighting Titans."

The child frowned guiltily.

"But that's not all. Even before his tummy got big and heavy, Papa was still in pain. When he first found out that he was going to have you, he was very sick. Not like he had a stuffy nose either. He threw up multiple times a day, every day, for almost eight months. His body was changing to make sure it could support you, so his muscles ached, and he was very emotional. Then, when his tummy did get big and heavy, he could barely walk because his feet hurt so badly, and he couldn't stand up straight because his back hurt, too. And you were moving around and kicking inside him, so his insides even hurt, too."

Tears welled up in the child's eyes again.

Eren saw this and a small smile spread across his face. "But you wanna know what Papa said to me as soon as he got to hold you in his arms?"

_"I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat."_

_Levi looked up at his husband as he clutched his newborn son to his chest, rare tears running down his face._

_"I'd suffer that nine-month-long hell and that surgery pain for the rest of my life…no, until the end of time, if it meant I could have him here. Just…god, Eren, look at him, look how perfect he is. I just…"_

_He rubbed his forehead against the newborn's just as the baby's eyes opened for the first time, and their gazes met._

_"I just love him so much."_

"So don't say that Papa hates you when he actually loves you more than anyone else in all of humanity. Even me, and we had a whole ceremony to tell everyone we loved each other."

Fresh tears were rolling down the child's cheeks now, and Eren couldn't help but chuckle a little.

"Aw, it's okay, baby, don't cry." He knelt down to the floor and wrapped his arms around his son, who sobbed into his shoulder. Well, at least he had gotten the message across. Still smiling, he tilted the child in his arms and brushed the tears away with his thumb and said, "Papa loves you very much, but he still hates the bad thing you did, so you need to say you're sorry. That's the grown-up thing to do. When a man does something wrong, he admits that he did a bad thing, says he's sorry, and tries to make it better. It's obvious that you're sorry, so go tell Papa so we can all smile again."

The child nodded, hugged his daddy one more time, wiped his eyes, and walked out of his room, Eren following behind. Downstairs, they saw Levi cleaning up the last of the mess. Mustering up all his courage, the little boy walked to his papa just as Levi was pulling the bandana off his head.

"Papa."

Levi turned.

The little boy looked up at him with big, glossy eyes. "Papa, I…I'm sorry I played ball in the house, and I'm sorry I knocked over the flowers, and I'm sorry I made a mess, and I'm s-sorry I m-made you s-so…angry…" He tried to keep his composure, but the tears were starting to appear again, and he was hiccuping between his words. It was the worst feeling in the world, knowing that everything rested on whether or not his papa believed him.

What he didn't know was that Levi's heart was breaking. The sight of his son so upset and so scared made him instantly regret all his yelling and all his rage. He mentally cursed himself, asking why he had reacted in such a way. It wasn't like the child had known those flowers had been a memorial and destroyed them on purpose. He also didn't know who Petra, Auruo, Erd, and Gunther were, as Levi had never told him. He hadn't known any better.

And so, with a sigh and a rare, loving display of affection, Levi wrapped his arms around his son and cuddled him to his chest, smoothing his hair back and kissing his forehead. "Apology accepted," he murmured. "Thank you, sweetheart. I'm sorry, too, I shouldn't have yelled at you, and I shouldn't have called you a monster. You're not. You know what you are?" He pulled away a bit so he could gaze into his child's beautiful, green eyes and gave him a small smile. "You're my precious baby boy, and you always will be." Another kiss. "You've learned your lesson though, right?"

The child rubbed his eyes and nodded. "Uh-huh, I promise I won't play ball in the house again."

One more kiss. "That's my boy." When Levi looked up, he noticed something outside. "Oh, the rain stopped." He then looked back down at his son. "Do you want to go outside and play ball now?"

The little boy looked out the window, too, and saw the sun starting to come out. "Can we go pick flowers for the soldiers first?"

Levi felt a little leap of joy flutter through his heart, but he would never mention it, and he would never let it show. He just kept that same small smile and said, "Yes, let's do that first. Maybe I'll tell you a story about them while we're out. They were some of the bravest soldiers I ever knew."

The child nodded, a smile finally returning to his face. "Tell me!"

"Alright, go put your boots on. It's probably muddy outside."

From the stairs, Eren smiled. Mission accomplished. Peace had returned to the Jaeger household, and he mentally filed this as a victory for humanity as he, too, put his boots on.

END

 


	4. Soldier Story

_When the new Survey Corps recruits were introduced to me, I didn't have high hopes for any of them. I didn't even consider them members of the Survey Corps, because they hadn't been on any missions, meaning they hadn't seen a single Titan and lived to tell the tale. You see, that's how it works in the Survey Corps, the most dangerous of the three military branches. Only when you return alive from your first mission are you considered a soldier._

"Even you and Daddy, Papa?" the child asked, walking in between his fathers and clutching their hands.

Levi looked down at his son and nodded. "Yes, Daddy and I had to come back alive from our first missions to be considered part of the Survey Corps, no exceptions."

"But I thought you were Humanity's Strongest."

"That's a reputation I gained after coming back alive from many missions. Everyone has to start somewhere."

"Oh." The child looked down and frowned.

Eren bit his lip. "I don't know if you're ready for stories about the Survey Corps," he said as gently as he could, gripping his son's hand and casting Levi a worried glance. "The Survey Corps is really scary. It's the only military branch that goes outside the Walls and actually fights Titans. The Garrison and the Military Police don't have to, since their jobs are inside the Walls. Survey Corps soldiers are constantly in danger. That's why not a lot of people join."

"But that also means that you and Papa are really brave, Daddy!" the child insisted, looking up at Eren with big, sincere eyes. "That's what it means to be brave, right? Do something scary that you don't want to do but doing it anyway?"

_Brave…or foolish,_ Levi thought.

"Why don't we tell you another story?" Eren insisted, wanting to change the subject. "I don't want you to have nightmares."

"But I wanna hear about the brave soldiers!" the child pouted, his eager voice starting to turn into a whine. "Just leave out the scary parts!"

Eren looked at Levi with a worried expression, his eyes saying everything his mouth wasn't. _Can you tell a story about the Survey Corps without the scary parts? Is that possible?_

Levi sighed, feeling a little defeated, and nodded. "Alright, if you get scared, tell me. I'll stop."

The child nodded back.

_Our mission was just to observe the Titans, to see if we could learn anything more about them. For the first few hours, the mission was going well. We were able to stay a safe distance away from them, but we weren't learning anything. They were just walking around aimlessly, so we had to keep moving to be sure that we wouldn't be spotted. We weren't supposed to engage in combat at all._

_Oh, how awry the mission went. All it took was a rustling bush. One of the newbies just wasn't quiet enough, and all hell broke loose. All of a sudden, dozens of Titans appeared. They attacked us all at once, and the newbies were too uncoordinated to stop them. I killed as many as I could, but I was still relatively new to the Survey Corps myself. There were just too many, and we had to retreat._

Levi bent down and picked a nearby wildflower, not making eye contact with his son. The little boy stared at him, eyes filled with both worry and anticipation. He gripped the three flowers in his little hands. "So…are those the soldiers we're picking flowers for?"

Levi shook his head. "It's very sad that they died, but I didn't know them personally. I'm sure that their families and friends honor them still though."

"Oh, that's good."

Silence.

"Um, Papa?"

"Yes?"

"Can we, um, maybe pick one flower to represent all the soldiers who died?"

Both his parents looked up at him with proudly surprised eyes. A smile spread across Eren's face, and he nodded. "Of course we can, baby. That's very kind and thoughtful of you."

The little boy smiled back.

Levi let out a long sigh and composed himself. He didn't want to show his family, but recounting this story was difficult, as remembering all those unnecessary deaths left an awful feeling in his mouth and a crippling feeling of guilt in his stomach. He glanced at his son, who had a sweet smile on his face as he picked another flower. He then glanced at his husband, who eventually met his gaze and offered a small smile himself. He wondered, would they have to venture out to this field and pick flowers for him? He was significantly older than Eren, so he knew that, if he didn't die on the battlefield, he'd die of old age much sooner than his husband would.

Leaving his baby without a papa.

He fell to his knees.

"Levi!"

The man looked up into his husband's beautiful green eyes, and, all of a sudden, he was okay. Those eyes shone brighter than any gem, and they immediately relaxed him. Better memories flooded his mind: the first time Eren ever looked directly in his eyes without fear, the joy in those eyes at their wedding, when they found out their son was coming, and when they met him the first time, the tenderness and love he saw in them before he went to sleep every night. Yes, all that was much better.

He reached up and gently placed his hand on Eren's cheek. "I'm okay."

Eren nodded and kissed his forehead.

"Papa?"

Both men looked back at their son, who now had a bundle of flowers gripped in his little hands and a concerned look on his face.

Levi let out another sigh. "I'm okay, baby, sorry." He walked over to to the little boy and, with no regard for the dirt, sat on the ground and dragged the child into a hug. The little boy squealed and laughed, his voice full of happiness. A small smile appeared on Levi's face at the sounds. No, he wasn't going anywhere, not as long as this little angel was around. He was going to make sure of that.

"The story gets better," he said, kissing the boy's temple. "Now then…"

_We retreated and the Titans followed. We were on horseback, so we were able to outrun them for a time. I thought they would tire out, allowing us to make it to safer territory, and I was mostly right. Many of the Titans fell behind while our horses kept going. Eventually, we came upon an area where no Titans seemed to roam, and we thought we were safe._

_How wrong we were. I was positioned at the end of the brigade, and a 15-meter class Titan seemed to appear out of nowhere. It crashed through a nearby abandoned house and charged after me. Everyone in front of me kept moving forward, and I realized that they weren't going to come back to help me. I was on my own. I used my gear to lift myself off my horse, but the Titan was fast, and it grabbed me mid-air with such a strong grip that it broke my gear._

_I thought that was it. That was going to be the end. The Titan opened its mouth and lifted me towards it._

_"Get it, Petra!"_

_I suddenly heard the sound of gear moving, and I saw the Titan starting to fall. Someone had cut the nape of its neck! The Titan was dying!_

_"Auruo! Go!"_

_Another slice, this one at the Titan's wrist. I fell from its grip._

_"Gunther! Catch him!"_

_And someone did catch me. He swung around on his gear, grabbed me mid-air, and brought me to the ground, where my horse was waiting. I mounted it without a second thought._

_"Erd! Take us home!"_

_A man at the front of the group charged forward on his horse, and I quickly realized that they were all back on their horses and following him. My eyes widened. Who were these soldiers? I had never seen them before, so they must have been new recruits. But that was stupid. There was no way new recruits could possess that kind of teamwork._

_Only they could. And they did._

_They had survived the Titan ambush and had had every right to keep moving forward, leaving me behind. But they hadn't. They had decided to turn around and save me._

_"Are you okay?" the first one, the only woman, called back to me._

_I nodded, unable to find my voice._

_She smiled at me. "Thank goodness. I'm Petra Ral, by the way!"_

_"I can see you flirting a mile away, sweetie. Heh, I'm Auruo Bossard."_

_"Stop harassing her. Hm. I'm Gunther Shulz."_

_"We'll be at the walls soon, guys. Oh, and I'm Erd Gin."_

_"…I'm Levi."_

_And, at that exact moment, I swore I would never ever forget those names._

"So they saved you from the Titan, Papa? That's so cool!"

Levi nodded. "And they eventually became part of a special squad I hand-picked for a very important mission. Do you have any idea what that mission was?"

"Uh-uh."

"To protect Daddy."

The child's eyes lit up, and he looked at Eren excitedly. "So they saved you from Titans, too, Daddy?" he squealed, clapping his hands together.

Eren gave his son a sad smile. "Yes, they did. That was how they died."

The child immediately stopped, and the joyful atmosphere disappeared. "Oh."

Silence.

"They were strong enough to defeat regular Titans without a problem," Eren eventually explained, walking over to his little family and sitting down next to them. "On the mission where they were supposed to protect me though, we ran into a different kind of Titan, one that had human intelligence. It was able to fight like a human, so it knew how to attack and defeat humans. It was horrible and both of us feel very bad about it, but they died honorable soldiers' deaths. They died protecting humanity. It was because of their sacrifices that we were able to move forward."

A calm, pleasant breeze blew across the field.

The child looked up at Eren and smiled. "They're not really dead."

"Oh?"

"They'll only die if we forget them."

Levi immediately wrapped his arms tighter around his son and buried his face in the little boy's shoulder. "You're right," he whispered, fighting to keep his voice from cracking. "You're absolutely right, baby."

* * *

 

On the walk home, Eren and Levi casually discussed what to make for dinner that night. Their son heard something like "the carrots will go bad if we don't cook them," but he was too busy smiling at the pretty flowers in his hands. He plucked one from the bunch and looked up, when he saw someone he knew.

"Aunt Annie!"

Eren and Levi froze and watched as their little boy innocently ran up to the blonde woman, who cracked a smile at him. She didn't seem to notice his parents. "What are you up to, little man?" she asked, bending down to the child's level.

The little boy grinned. "Papa and Daddy and I picked flowers!"

"I see that. They're very pretty."

"We're making a me-mo…memo…."

"Memorial?"

"Yeah, that! We're making a memorial for Papa's soldier friends."

The breath caught in Annie's throat, and that was when she looked up and saw Eren and Levi standing a few feet away. They were each holding their own small bouquet, and both were staring at her, Levi with quite a bit of malicious intent. Annie's expression stayed neutral as she looked back at him, but a pleasant smile spread across her face as she looked back at the child. "That's very nice of you," she said.

"Aunt Annie?"

"Hmm?

The little boy took the one flower he had plucked from his bundle and placed it behind Annie's ear. Her eyes widened and she reached up to touch the silky petals.

The child smiled wide. "For you! You should smile more often, Aunt Annie. You're very pretty when you smile, prettier than the flowers!"

Annie's face softened at the little boy and his kind, innocent words. She honestly didn't know what to say. His trust in her, his love for her…it was all so touching. No one had ever viewed her as anything less than a threat before, much less as someone who was pretty. The road back to civilian life within the Walls had been difficult, but she had done it, and she was slowly starting to win back the trust of her former comrades. None of them had completely forgiven her though, so to see someone look at her like she was truly a friend…it was overwhelming.

She reached out and gently pat his head. "Okay," she said, "but only because the nicest, most handsome little gentleman in all of humanity asked me to."

The child's grin widened, and he giggled a bit.

Eren let out a relieved breath he didn't realize he had been holding, and he smiled a bit, too. "Say good night, sweetheart," he called to his son. "We gotta go do something to those carrots for dinner, and Aunt Annie needs to go, too."

"Okay! Good night, Aunt Annie!" He waved to her as he ran back to his parents. They immediately turned and left, missing Annie waving back.

The remaining walk back was quiet for the most part. When they returned home, Eren took Levi's hand in his. "You okay?"

"…Yeah."

"You sure?"

Levi nodded and that was all the answer Eren needed. He let go of his husband's hand and walked to the kitchen to get a vase for the flowers.

Levi glanced out the window at the setting sun. _This world sure is cruel,_ he thought.

He looked back to the kitchen, where his husband and child were arranging the flowers in the prettiest vase they had. The tiniest of smiles graced his lips.

_But it sure is beautiful, too._

END


	5. Naptime Story

Eren let out a loud yawn as he shuffled his way into the living room, rubbing his eyes whilst shaking his head a bit. Levi, who was sitting in the plush armchair near the center of the room, glanced up from his book and raised an eyebrow. "What are you yawning about?" he said, slight suspicion in his voice.

Eren let his arms drop to his sides. "Sorry," he replied, "didn't sleep well last night."

"Hm, good thing you didn't wake me to complain about it."

Eren snorted as Levi went back to his book. "I know better than to wake you up for something like that." He then looked to the floor, smiled, and knelt down next to their son, who was playing out a scene with his blocks, a few carved wooden figures, some small rag dolls, and his favorite plush toy. The child was making small sounds and speaking for all the characters in his little game, changing his voice to adapt for each one. It was beyond adorable. "What are you playing, baby?" Eren asked.

The little boy looked up and grinned. "Some bad Titans are trying to get past the wall, but the Garrison and Survey Corps soldiers are fighting back and winning!" He pointed to the wooden figures placed near a wall he had constructed from his blocks. On the other side of the wall were the rag dolls. "And this," the boy continued, holding up his favorite plush, "is a good Titan who's friends with the people and is gonna help the soldiers fight the bad ones. Just like in the story Papa told me that night you were out, Daddy!"

A snarky grin spread across Eren's face, and he looked back at Levi, who suddenly seemed so absorbed in his book he just couldn't bear to tear his eyes away from it. A few light chuckles escaped Eren's lips before he looked back at his son and pointed at one of the wooden figures. "Who's this one standing on top of the wall?"

"Uncle Armin. He just told everyone the plan to get rid of the bad Titans and keep the town safe."

"Is it gonna work?"

"Yeah, Uncle Armin's plans always work."

Eren nodded and smiled wide. "That they do. What about these over here?" He pointed to a small group of wooden figures.

"That one is Uncle Jean," the child explained, pointing at a specific figure. "He's leading the soldiers into battle. The rest are Uncle Connie, Aunt Sasha, Aunt Ymir, and Aunt Historia. Aunt Mikasa is over here." He pointed at a lone figure settled on top of a fallen rag doll. "She's already beaten most of the bad Titans who got in."

"Sounds like her."

"Uncle Reiner and Uncle Bertholdt are helping Aunt Annie and the rest of the Military Police. I don't have enough figures for them, but it's okay because that means all the people are safe."

Eren nodded at this detail, reminding himself to get more figures for his son's birthday, but then a thought struck him. "Where are Papa and me?"

The little boy suddenly looked up at him, a look of seriousness and slight hurt in his eyes, as if to say, "You really don't know?" He picked his plush toy up and held it against his chest. "You and Papa are staying at home and protecting me."

Eren's eyes widened momentarily, but they quickly softened, and he gently pulled his son to his side. He placed a kiss on the child's head and said, "Of course we are. How silly of me."

The little boy smiled again, and Eren heard a satisfied huff come from Levi.

Then Eren suddenly yawned again, bringing his free hand up to cover his mouth. His son glanced up at him. "Do you need me to tell you the bedtime story, Daddy?"

Eren grinned a wiped away a tear that had managed to escape from the corner of his eye. "Nah, I'm okay, thanks though."

"Go take a nap, you little brat."

Both looked up at Levi, who didn't look up from his book.

Eren raised a brow. "A nap? In the middle of the day? I'm not the child here."

"But you're still a brat. Go."

"I'm a full grown adult! Your husband and the father of your child!"

"Doesn't matter. Once a little brat, always a little brat. Now go."

Eren rolled his eyes. As much as he didn't want to admit it, a nap did sound good. He had tossed and turned for most of the previous night, simply unable to get comfortable. He had been in stark contrast to Levi, who had slept soundly throughout the entire night. And, truly, he did know better than to wake his husband up for such a trivial reason.

Finally, he stood and stretched his arms. When he dropped them, he walked to his husband and nuzzled his nose in his silky, black hair. Levi finally tore his narrowed eyes away from the book and glanced up at the taller man, who replied with a smile and kiss on his temple. "Fine, you win," Eren said, sounding anything but disappointed in his defeat. "Do I get a naptime kiss?"

"No."

"Aw, come on."

"Stop whining. This is why you'll always be a little brat."

Eren pouted and turned towards his son, who was watching the scene with big, curious eyes. The little boy smiled when their gazes met and said, "I'll give you a naptime kiss, Daddy!"

"Now that's what I'm talking about," Eren replied, strolling over to his son and kneeling down. The little boy placed a big kiss on his daddy's cheek, and Eren grinned wide. "Thanks, baby."

"Have a nice nap, Daddy."

Eren nodded and climbed the nearby steps. Levi spoke when he heard their bedroom door close. "Sometimes I wonder which one of you is the baby in this family."

The child giggled. "Me, silly! I'm the baby!"

"If you say so. By the way, you don't think kissing is gross?"

The little boy shook his head. "Kissing means you love each other. That's why you and Daddy kiss, and that's why I kiss you guys. It's a good thing."

Levi found this answer oddly touching, though he would never admit it. He just shrugged and went back to his book.

"Papa?"

"Hm?"

"Will you tell me the story of when you and Daddy kissed the first time?"

Levi halted in turning the pages and thought back to his and Eren's first kiss. It hadn't been under the greatest circumstances, to put it lightly. Memories of pulling Eren out of his Titan form and desperately searching for a heartbeat after a particularly brutal battle resurfaced in his mind. He closed his eyes lightly and tried to will them away, but they stubbornly stayed. No, he couldn't tell his son about his first kiss with Eren, not yet anyway. First they had to break it to their son, as gently as possible, that Eren could transform into a Titan. They had agreed long before their son's birth that they wouldn't tell him until he was old enough to understand, and they had also agreed not to tell him about Reiner, Bertholdt, Annie, and Ymir either, as their abilities and pasts were none of the couple's business. All of their friends were in on this promise, too. The only thing that mattered to them was eventually telling their son about Eren. The others could tell him if they felt like it. Truth be told, their son had never even seen a real Titan, and they intended to keep it that way for as long as possible. If anything, his birth had just fueled Eren's desire to annihilate the Titans even more, to create a safe, Titan-free world for his son. The fight wasn't over yet though, so they had agreed to keep their promise until they couldn't anymore. Besides, they wouldn't tell him, only Eren would. It was his burden, not Levi's. Levi was only there to keep the secret until Eren decided it was time.

Levi opened his eyes and met his son's gaze. It took everything in him not to melt under those big, beautiful, green eyes, so he looked back into his book. If he looked into those eyes too long, he would crumble. "…I think you're a little young for that story," he finally said. "I'll tell you when you're a little older. A child kissing his parents is different than two adults kissing."

"Oh."

Thank goodness the child knew not to question Levi when he had made up his mind.

"Um…"

"What?"

"Did you always know you were gonna marry Daddy?"

Now that was an interesting question, one he hadn't heard before, but it at least had a straightforward answer. "No," he replied, flipping another page, "I didn't. Daddy is much younger than I am, so I didn't know him until I was already an adult. I never _knew_ I was going to marry him after I met him either. Besides, he asked me, remember?"

The child nodded. "I was just wondering if you had ever kissed anyone before Daddy."

Levi shook his head. "No, Daddy was the first person I kissed, because he was the first person I ever really truly loved."

"Oh, that's good."

"I didn't even believe in love until Daddy came along, even if he doesn't know that."

"Huh?"

Levi sighed and finally put his book down on the nearby coffee table. He then patted his knee, and his son got the message. The little boy walked to him, and Levi picked him up and sat him down on his lap. "This story I'll tell you."

_Levi looked up at the open sky above him, watching the birds fly freely from one end of his vision to another. They were quite graceful as they glided across a background of blue, and Levi wondered momentarily if they were going anywhere in particular. Probably not, but he did want to know what they saw. After all, they were the only living beings who could get over the walls and explore the world however they wanted. Nothing out there was dead set on eating them, at least not for pleasure. If a predator were to eat them, they'd at least be fuel for that predator, continuing the world's cycle of life and death. That was much better than dying for no reason._

_"So? What do you think?"_

_A few female voices caught Levi's attention, and he couldn't help but listen to their conversation._

_"It sounds so romantic."_

_Okay, maybe he could bear not to listen._

_"It's just such a crazy idea, you know? The fact that somewhere out there amongst humanity is the love of your life. That person is walking around right now, minding his or her own business, unknowing of you. And yet, you're going to marry that person. It's insane!"_

_Levi rolled his eyes and rolled over on the grass so his back was facing the girls. Yes, that thought was crazy, crazy and stupid. There was no one out there for him. He had walled off his heart ages ago the same way the human territory had been walled off from the Titans. Nothing could get in, and whatever went out would likely not get back in. He always thought this way, and he had a feeling that he always would._

_And he kept feeling that way. One afternoon, when he was walking through a town, he overheard a young couple walking in the marketplace._

_"I've been waiting for you my whole life," the man said, kissing the top of the woman's head. "I knew I'd find you someday."_

_The woman giggled. "I always knew you were out there."_

_Levi rolled his eyes and kept walking. Ridiculous._

_Another day, a gang of men were harassing a middle-aged woman. Levi chanced upon them as they backed her into a corner and demanded all her things. Not feeling especially heroic but itching for a fight, Levi immediately took down all of them single-handedly and walked off before the woman could thank him face-to-face._

_When she realized he wasn't going to turn back to her, she shouted, "Thank you! May you always have love and happiness in your life!"_

_What nonsense. There was nobody out there for him. Certainly no one who could make him happy all the time._

_As the cold winter passed by, he would find many couples cuddling together as they walked through snow-covered streets. They would say things like, "This time of year would be unbearable if I didn't have you" and "you keep me warm even on the coldest winter's night." Levi tried to ignore them, and, as his birthday and Christmas passed without a single sign of anyone in this world being made just for him, he continued believing he would always be alone._

_Finally, winter ended and the air became warmer. The plants and animals all came back to life, and the snow disappeared from the streets. One morning, when Levi woke, he suddenly found himself thinking that the sun was especially bright today for some reason. It wasn't just the sun either. The sky was bluer than usual. The blooming flowers looked more beautiful than they had during past springs. The wind was more pleasant. The people were more tolerable. It was all very strange to Levi as he walked through a town situated in Wall Maria that day. What was going on?_

_The rest of the day was uneventful until he passed by a small house where a man with a cheerful smile on his face was leaving. Another man, whom Levi assumed lived there, shook the first man's hand and said, "Thank you for your help, Dr. Jaeger, I think my shoulder is better already."_

_"My pleasure. Just go easy on it."_

_"Thanks! And, hey, if you don't mind me asking, uh, you look a lot happier than usual. You haven't stopped smiling all day. What's up?"_

_Dr. Jaeger's smile just widened. "My apologies, I didn't want to bring my personal life into my work, so I tried to hide it, but I guess I can't help it. My wife gave birth this morning! A healthy baby boy!"_

_"Oh my goodness, congratulations!"_

_Levi shrugged as he walked by. No wonder the old man was so happy. Levi didn't understand what the great thing about babies was though. They were messy and required constant time and attention and couldn't communicate and cried at all hours and never obeyed their parents. But, worst of all, they were messy. Yes, the messiness was worth mentioning twice._

_"Ah, thank you," he overheard Dr. Jaeger say, "Carla and I are both thrilled. I can tell he's going to be a handful though. When I say that he's healthy, I mean that he's made it clear that there's nothing wrong with his lungs at least!"_

_Oh yeah, there was no way in hell Levi was ever going to put up with a baby, especially not that Jaeger baby._

_Still, he couldn't deny that the world seemed a little more beautiful that day…and every day after it._

"Why was the world more beautiful, Papa?"

Levi leaned over and pressed his lips against the little boy's head, feeling the silky, black hair that was so much like his own. It was the one obvious thing the child had inherited from him, and Levi hoped it would stay that way. He didn't want his baby to grow into a grumpy, bitter clean freak. No, much better that he grow into a determined, loving, happy man. All the love he had felt on the day of his son's birth came rushing back to him, and he remembered finally realizing what the great thing about babies was.

All that potential. That blank canvas that could be painted will a mix of all sorts of gorgeous colors.

"The world looked more beautiful," Levi replied, "because I finally lived in a world with Daddy."

"But you weren't married…"

"No, but he suddenly existed in the world, so the world looked more beautiful to me. I just didn't make the connection until years later."

"…?"

"You'll understand it better when you're older."

The child shrugged and leaned against Levi chest. "I kinda wanna take a nap now, too, Papa."

A tiny smile appeared on Levi's face, and he carefully clutched the child in his arms as he stood. He bent down to pick up the favorite stuffed toy and gave it to his son. "Then you better have this so you'll be protected while you sleep." The little boy hugged the toy sweetly and let out a little yawn as Levi climbed the stairs to the child's room. When he arrived there, he gently placed the child on his bed and wrapped a nearby quilt around him. He then placed a kiss on the child's forehead and said, "Have a nice nap."

Levi was about to go back downstairs when he passed by the master bedroom and suddenly remembered the other napping baby in the house. He quietly opened the bedroom door and walked inside. Sure enough, Eren was sleeping soundly, his face relaxed and innocent. Even though he was a 6'5" grown man, he was still too cute to Levi.

But Levi would never ever say that.

So he just leaned over his husband and placed a kiss on his forehead, too. "Have a nice nap, little brat. Rest those healthy lungs of yours."

And then he turned and went back downstairs to clean up his son's toys and finish his book.

END


	6. Angel Story

"No."

"Aw, come on…"

"The answer is no, you stupid brat."

"Papa…"

"Absolutely not, young man."

"But Uncle Connie said…!"

"I don't CARE what Uncle Connie said. Papa said no."

The little boy looked up at his papa with those big, beautiful eyes of his, hands clasped together in front of his pouting face. Eren knelt down next to him and also looked up at Levi with those same eyes, to which Levi shut his own gray ones tightly. No, he wasn't going to fall for those gorgeous puppy eyes, not this time. He was a soldier, equipped with both speed and skill, who had slain hundreds of Titans without a problem. Surely he could resist two sets of pretty eyes.

So he opened his own set.

And silently swore.

"Please, Papa?" the little boy begged, his voice syrupy sweet and pathetically adorable. "Please, I really wanna go. Uncle Connie said it was okay."

Eren nodded in agreement. "It won't be for the whole night, and the place is a regular restaurant, so there will be something for him to have, too."

Levi let out an exasperated sigh and rubbed his temples. Tonight was the night before Connie and Sasha's wedding, and the Jaeger family has been invited to Connie's bachelor party. Levi had immediately refused to spend his Friday evening with "a rowdy gang of noisy little drunken brats," but Eren had agreed to come. Now the debate was whether or not their son could go, too. Connie had insisted that the place he was planning to go to was both a restaurant and a bar, so the little boy could be among the adults without objection. Levi, however, didn't see the situation that way and didn't quite trust his old trainees, even though they were all fully grown adults now.

"How about this," Eren said, "he'll come out with me for a little while, and then you can pick him up when you want. He'll stay with me the entire time, and I'll make sure he's occupied . I'll also keep an eye on the guys to make sure none of them go nuts while he's there. What do you think?"

Levi snorted. "I think you're a brat."

"Levi…"

"But at least now you're not talking like a stupid brat."

Eren's eyes brightened. "You mean…?"

Levi sighed heavily, knowing he had lost. Those green eyes and the trust he had in his husband had finally won him over. "Less than an hour," he finally agreed. "No more. And you, young man," He looked down at the boy. "you will immediately take a bath and go to bed the moment you get home. Do I make myself clear?"

A huge, bright smile lit up the child's face, and he jumped up and hugged Levi around his leg. "Yes, thank you! Thank you, Papa! I promise I'll be good!"

Levi rolled his eyes. "It's not you I'm worried about." His tone was irritated, but his heart was melting at the sight of his son so happy. When had he gotten so soft?

Eren laughed and stood, leaning over to give his husband a grateful kiss. "Thank you, darling," he said lovingly, smiling against Levi's lips. "I promise I'll make sure everyone behaves while he's there."

"You'd better behave, too. I am not dragging your hungover ass to the ceremony tomorrow."

"I know, I'll be good." Another kiss.

Levi sighed and gently pushed Eren away. "Alright, go already. Get out of here before I change my mind."

"Will do. Let's go, baby."

The little boy jumped up, grabbed his jacket, and said goodbye to his papa. He then took his daddy's hand as the two made their way out of the house and into the chilly autumn night. As soon as they were gone, Levi ran his hands through his hair and groaned. How had things come to this, he wondered. How had he let himself spoil the two of them so much? Shaking his head at how marriage and parenthood had changed him, he made himself a cup of tea, sat down in the living room, and said, "I'm a single father with two babies."

* * *

"WAH! You made it, Eren! The wife finally let you out?!"

The whole table of men burst out laughing, Connie in particular cracking up at his own joke. Eren couldn't help but laugh lightly as he sat down in the last free seat, setting his son on his lap. "Keep laughing all you want," he spat playfully, "you're about to go down the same road!"

"It's game over after tonight, buddy," Reiner agreed, slapping Connie on the back. "Enjoy life while you still can. Try to escape every once in a while, okay?" He let out more hearty laughs, inviting the rest of the table to join him.

Armin was the only one who didn't seem amused. "You guys make it sound like he's going to prison."

"Aw, lighten up," the blond said back, turning his attention to his fellow blond. "We're just joking. Obviously, Connie knows what he's getting himself into. And I think it's safe to say Sasha will be an easier-going wife than Levi."

Eren rolled his eyes but kept smiling.

When the roars of laughter started to die down, a waiter arrived at their table. "What can I get you gentlemen this evening?"

"Here's the man of the hour!" Bertholdt said immediately, grabbing Connie by the shoulders and shaking him slightly.

"Getting hitched tomorrow!" Reiner added. "Give him whatever he wants!"

The waiter grinned. "Ah, I got ya. No problem, plenty of snacks and shots for everyone!"

Jean raised his hand. "Plus one extra over here."

The rest of the table cheered at him, joking about how he'd definitely be hungover the next day. Smirking, Jean rolled his eyes at them and reminded them of how well he could hold his liquor. The waiter, still grinning, agreed to the extra order and then walked over to the side of the table where Eren was sitting with his son. The little boy watched him do so but then looked away, feeling a bout of shyness coming on. When it came to people he knew, the child was a social butterfly, but he was shy and quiet around strangers. The rest of the table actually quieted down a bit when they saw the slightly unsure look on his face and how he tried to hide himself in Eren's jacket. It was too cute.

"And what about for the little gentleman?" the waiter asked, smiling kindly at the little boy.

When he didn't respond, Eren prodded him a bit for an answer. "What do you think, baby? Would you like some fruit juice?" He smiled softly when his son nodded and then pointed at the waiter. "Then you need to tell him so he can get it for you."

The child, who had hidden about half his face behind Eren's jacket, fidgeted a little and finally said in a quiet voice, "Um, could I please, uh, have some fruit juice? Please?"

The waiter let out a breathy laugh that he tried and failed to contain. "Of course you can, no problem, Sir," he teased, caught between keeping his kind smile and letting out his laughs at how adorable the little boy was. When he stood and started to head back for the kitchen, he caught a glimpse of everyone else at the table melting at the cuteness.

The men kept chatting for the next few minutes, laughing a lot at their own dumb jokes and teasing Connie about his future with Sasha. Eren, being the only one there who was already married, offered his own advice on how to keep a peaceful household. "Know when to press the issue and when to let it drop," he said. "And remember to agree with her because you're NEVER right!" The men burst out laughing again.

Eventually, the waiter came back with a tray full of snacks, shot glasses, and a separate cup. "Party time, gentlemen!" he said as he set a shot down in front of each one, placing the requested two in front of Jean. Jean picked one glass up and set the other one aside. He was sitting next to Eren and the little boy, and the child noticed this action, so he was caught off guard when the waiter knelt down next him on the other side and placed the cup in front of him. "And one cup of fruit juice for the little gentleman."

The child jumped a bit and immediately grabbed onto his daddy's jacket for support, but he somehow was able to muster up the courage to say thank you. He smiled sweetly at the waiter, who just smiled back. "No problem," he said as he got up and walked away, "I'll put it on your tab!" To which the men burst out laughing again. The little boy didn't see what was so funny though, so he just brought the cup to his lips and started drinking.

Eren watched all this with an amused grin and then held up his glass. "Alright, everyone, to Connie and Sasha!"

The rest picked up their glasses. "To Connie and Sasha!"

"To many happy, healthy years!" Eren added, and he knocked the drink back, prompting everyone else to do the same.

Connie let out a "woo!" as soon as he swallowed the alcohol. "Aw man, that's good." He then started cracking up at the twisted face Armin made, as he obviously didn't find the liquor as delicious. The blond hastily grabbed a roll and shoved it in his mouth to sop up the strong liquid, prompting everyone else at the table to laugh. Even the little boy in Eren's lap giggled.

But he also noticed something while everyone else was distracted. "Uncle Jean?" he said, tugging on the man's sleeve. "Why did you order two drinks if you're not going to drink the second one?"

Jean's eyes widened a bit at the question, and he was thankful that nearly everyone else at the table was still preoccupied with Armin's reaction to the shot. Only Eren had also heard the question, and the brunet gave Jean a surprisingly supportive smile. Jean gave a small smile back and sighed. "That's because it's not for me," he explained to the little boy. "It's for my best friend, my guardian angel."

The child tilted his head. "Guardian angel?"

Jean nodded. "I have a guardian angel watching over me and protecting me, so I order him a drink every time I go out to thank him."

The boy was quiet for a few moments, contemplating this. "How do you know that?" he asked thoughtfully. "Have you ever seen him?"

Jean grinned. "I used to see him a lot, but I don't anymore. I still know he's there though, because he's saved me from Titans many times. Every time I'm about to get hurt, someone lifts me up out of harm's way, higher than the 3D Maneuver Gear could ever take me. To do that, you need wings. Thus, it's gotta be my guardian angel."

The answer seemed to satisfy the child's question and spark his imagination, because he suddenly smiled wide, and his eyes brightened. "That's so cool!" he squealed, clutching his cup in his little hands. "Does he have a name?"

"…Marco."

"Wow!"

"Do you…wanna hear a story about him?"

"Uh-huh, tell me!"

Eren nodded at Jean, signaling that it was okay, and the light-haired man nodded back. "Okay then, this one time…"

_The expedition was going unusually well. We had managed to kill several Titans in record time with minimal casualties. For once, the Survey Corps really had things under control._

_I was the one to make the mistake. I got cocky. We were supposed to keep our wits about us, and we were supposed to stay on guard, but I, of course, had to go and be an idiot and think things were perfectly fine. How wrong I was._

_The Titans seemed to come out of nowhere, but now I know that, if I had been paying attention, I would have seen them coming. I saw Sasha and Historia pointing behind me and beginning to scream to get my attention, but it was too late. A 15-meter class Titan jumped out from the trees and grabbed onto my leg. I cried out and sliced one of my blades against its fingers, but I was in too much of a panic to get a clean cut right through them. Mikasa was underneath me, and she maneuvered herself upwards to help me out, but another Titan, a 7-meter class, appeared near her, blocking her path to me. I tried slashing the blades again, and I got a better cut this time, enough to let me wiggle out of the Titan's grasp before it could bring me too close to its mouth. I fired my gear at another tree to pull myself out of the way, but, just my luck, another 15-class appeared and reached for me._

_What happened next happened so fast that I don't even remember it that well. All of a sudden, I was floating high above the Titans' heads and soaring out of harm's way. I looked down and saw that the Maneuver Gear was still in place, so I couldn't figure out how I had managed to get up so high. It didn't matter though. Below me, Levi killed the 7-meter class that had come after Mikasa, allowing her to find her way to the second 15-meter class one's neck. She got a clean cut just as Levi jumped up and killed the first 15-class one. By the time I made my way back down, the bodies were already burning up._

_I was so thankful to get my feet back on a steady tree branch, and I breathed heavily to try to calm myself. "Jean!" Armin called from below. "Are you okay?"_

_"...Yeah!" I nodded and shakily jumped back down to the ground, where the blond was guiding my horse back to me._

_"KIRSCHTEIN!"_

_My head shot up, and my wide eyes looked into Erwin's narrow, angry ones. I swallowed hard and choked out a "Sir?"_

_"You should know better," the commander shouted. "Don't get comfortable out here! You're lucky you managed to escape; someone up there must really love you!"_

_I inhaled a sharp breath and nodded. "Yes, Sir, my apologies!" I then mounted my horse and followed the rest of the group out of the area and back towards the walls._

_I was uneasy the entire way back though. At the time, I figured it was just due to my shaken nerves, but I also felt like there was someone behind me. I kept looking back but saw no one, not even any Titans in the far distance. Trying to shake the feeling off, I looked ahead and kept following the group._

_Suddenly, I felt arms around my waist. I jerked forward and looked over my shoulder again, but nothing was behind me._

_"It's okay."_

_My head shot straight forward, but no one was speaking to me. I was about to call out when I felt a breeze blow from behind me, but it didn't leave me cold. No, if nothing else, it left me feeling warm._

_And safe._

_"I got you."_

_I was silent the entire way back to the walls, knowing that, if I tried to speak, I'd just cry. There was only one word that managed to escape my lips as my horse galloped forward._

_"Marco…"_

The child suddenly jumped out of Eren's lap and climbed up into Jean's, wrapping his little arms around the man's waist. He snuggled up against his chest and said, "I'm glad you're safe, Uncle Jean, I'd be sad if something bad happened to you."

Jean smiled lightly. "After that, I never got cocky out on an expedition again, so Marco saved me in a second way, too."

"Thank you, Guardian Angel Marco…"

"And that wasn't the only time. He's saved me many other times. Maybe I'll tell you some more another time."

The little boy looked up at Jean with a big smile. "Tell me now!"

A new voice interrupted them. "No, that's enough for tonight."

Everyone looked up to see Levi standing between where Eren and Jean were sitting. The little boy looked up and frowned sadly. "Aw, Papa, can't I stay?"

Levi shook his head. "Absolutely not, you're done for the night. I let you go out, and now it's way past your bedtime. Remember our deal?"

The child was about to protest when he suddenly remembered the deal he had made. Still frowning, he detached himself from Jean and reached up for his papa. Levi took him in his arms and nodded, satisfied. "Good boy. Say good night."

The child did as he was told and waved to everyone at the table, who waved back. "See you tomorrow, little buddy," Jean said, patting the little boy on the head.

"Bye bye, Uncle Jean."

Levi turned to Eren. "Don't stay out too late," he reminded him.

Eren nodded back at him. "I know, I promise." He then also pat his son on the head. "Can I get a good night kiss, baby?" And he smiled when Levi leaned over so their son could plant a kiss on Eren's cheek.

"Alright, that's enough," Levi finally finished. "Let's go, good night." And he promptly left the restaurant with his son in his arms.

Connie grinned as he watched them leave. "Oh yeah," he said, "Sasha and I are definitely having kids."

* * *

A few minutes into the walk back home, Levi spoke. "Did you have a good time?"

The child nodded, resting his head against his papa's shoulder. "I had fruit juice, and Uncle Jean told me a story about his guardian angel named Marco."

Levi let a tiny smile form on his lips. "Did he now?"

The little boy nodded again and then yawned. He hadn't noticed while he was at the restaurant, but he was actually quite tired. Bedtime was starting to sound good to him. "He said that Marco has saved his life a lot," he murmured quietly, rubbing his eyes with his little fist. "Papa, do we have angels watching over us?"

Levi was about to respond when a gust of wind suddenly blew from behind. He stopped, gasped a little, and turned, but all he saw were the swirling autumn leaves gently falling to the ground. What really surprised him though was how the wind made him feel. Autumn air was chilly, but he found himself feeling warm and comforted. He looked down at his son, who had a sweet smile on his face as he snuggled up closer to his papa's chest.

"Papa," the little boy said drowsily, "it feels like a bunch of people are hugging me."

And Levi couldn't deny that he felt the same. He nodded and placed a kiss on the child's head. "Those are our guardian angels," he said. "They watch over you and me. Daddy has one, too. She watches over him and you. So you have five angels keeping you safe."

The child wiggled a bit in his grasp. "Yay…"

Levi's smile widened a bit, and he continued the walk back home. Somehow, he got the feeling that everyone in the Jaeger household would dream of beautiful angels that night.

END

 


	7. Wedding Story, Part 1

If all weddings were this tedious, then the little boy sitting on the bench against the wall watching the adults run past one another never wanted to attend another one ever again. The day was already one of the most boring on record, and nothing had even happened yet.

To begin, Eren and Levi had woken their son up early that morning, and the child was still a bit crankier than usual due to his late night at Connie's bachelor party the day before. Breakfast was rushed and the child found himself sad that his fathers didn't sit at the dining table with him like they usually did. As soon as he had finished his meal, Levi had washed him thoroughly from head to toe despite the fact that he had had a bath the night before. When dry, Eren had dressed him in stiff, restricting clothes that, yes, looked nice, but weren't all that comfortable. And he hadn't even been dressed in the whole outfit yet! When all three had been fed, cleaned, and dressed, they all quickly ran to the building where the ceremony and reception for Connie and Sasha would be taking place. And now there was even more prep to do. The rest of the men hadn't been as clean and proper as the men of the Jaeger family, so Levi had ordered all of them to wash and dress again, including the groom.

Now all of the men were clean and presentable, but there was still plenty of prep to be done before the ceremony, and the little boy was annoyed and bored, not a good combination for any child. He was fidgeting in his fancy clothes, trying to loosen the collar of his shirt every so often, only to have either his papa or daddy rush to fix it.

"I don't wanna wear these dumb clothes!" the little boy finally whined as Eren tried to button him back up for the umpteenth time. His voice was so loud that all the activity in the men's prep room stopped momentarily, and tears began to well up in his eyes. "I don't like this, nu-uh! First I have to get up early, and then I have to eat alone, and then I have to have another bath-!"

"What if you had sweat-?!”

"I WASN'T DIRTY, PAPA! And now I'm wearing these dumb clothes, and I'm bored and lonely and…!"

The child tried to finish his rant, but fat tears were already running down his face. The room was silent save for his crying, and Eren immediately let go of his collared shirt. "I'm sorry, baby," he said, cupping his son's face. "I know, this isn't fun, but I promise that we'll have a lot of fun later. There will be music and dancing and food and all sorts of fun things to do, but right now we have to get ready for the ceremony."

"The ceremony is the boring part," Connie added. "I even think it's boring, and I'm the one getting married! But then, once it's done, we all get to go and have fun at a big party. Doesn't that sound great?"

Tears stopped rolling down the child's cheeks, but he still sniffed and rubbed his eyes out of frustration. "I know," he mumbled. "I just…"

"I know, you're tired and bored," Eren said gently, wiping the last of the tears away with his thumbs. "But you've been such a good boy all day, so please just hold out a little while longer, okay?"

"Hey, Eren," Reiner said, "you and Levi have both done so much today, and you guys aren't even in the wedding. Why don't you two take a break and spend some time with the kid. We got this." He smiled when the rest of the men nodded in agreement.

Levi let out a sigh and shrugged. "That's not a bad idea. It's been a long morning, and it's going to be an even longer day. Come on, let's get some fresh air." He lightly pat Eren on the shoulder, and his husband pulled their son into his arms. The little boy immediately wrapped his arms around his daddy's neck and rested his head on his shoulder, thankful to have some affection and attention at last. When he was secure, Eren followed his husband out of the room and down the hall. Levi stopped at a door and held it open so the three could go outside and breathe in the cool autumn air.

It was just what the little boy needed. He quickly relaxed, his earlier feelings of frustration disappearing with the calm wind carrying the fallen leaves away. His arms tightened around Eren's neck in a hug. "Thank you, Daddy, Papa, I'm sorry I yelled and cried."

Eren soothingly pat the child's back. "You don't need to apologize, baby, it's okay. It hasn't been the easiest morning. You've been such a good boy all day though, so we should have brought something to keep you entertained."

"Tomorrow we'll all spend the day together," Levi casually added. "We'll play with you all day."

The child finally smiled. "Thank you, Papa."

Eren smirked at the thought of Levi joining in playtime. That was usually another one of Eren's parenting jobs, on the list with bedtime stories and cheering up during difficult times. None of those things were Levi's strong suit, as he was much better at cleaning the house, doing the laundry, and disciplining his two babies. But Eren liked this side of his husband, the side Levi rarely showed even to his family, the side that wanted nothing more than to see their son smile.

After a few more minutes of silence, the little boy in Eren's arms tugged on Levi's jacket sleeve. "Papa," he said, "when you and Daddy got married, did you wear a white dress like Aunt Sasha will?"

Eren immediately clamped his free hand over his mouth to keep from bursting out laughing, especially when he noticed the look of horror on Levi's face. That look quickly turned to malice though when he twisted around to glare at his husband. Eren immediately slammed his hand down to his side, his previous laughter disappearing in a flash.

Levi groaned and rolled his eyes, face softening much to Eren's relief. "No, I didn't wear a dress; I wore a suit."

"Was it white?"

"…Yes."

Instead of giggling, the little boy just smiled at the response, still resting his head on his daddy's shoulder. "I bet you and Daddy both looked really beautiful."

A flush of pink appeared on both Eren's and Levi's cheeks as the two recalled seeing each other for the first time on their own wedding day. In that exact moment, they had been the only two people left on earth. No Titans, no other humans, no animals, just them. It had been a truly magical moment, seeing each other dressed in their best and glowing with excitement and love. Each had seared the image of the other into his memory to keep until the end of time.

Eren smiled, pink still staining his cheeks. "Papa was so beautiful, the most beautiful I had ever seen him at the time."

"I'm going in," Levi abruptly announced, walking in a straight line back to the door. "Sorry, I just, I-I'm cold. And those morons are probably messing themselves up. Someone needs to babysit your brat friends."

When Levi was back inside the building, Eren finally let out the laugh he had been holding in. His son looked up at him, obviously confused, but Eren just grinned at him. "Don't worry, Papa's just shy. Seriously though, he was so beautiful. Let me tell you…"

_The morning had been nuts. People had spent so much time running back and forth, making sure that everything was in order. Now there were only a few minutes left before the ceremony, and I couldn't wait. I wanted to see Levi so badly; I just wanted to be married to him already!_

_I fidgeted in my chair as Armin brushed out my hair for what seemed like the thousandth time. He was determined to make it less of a mess than it usually was, but it stubbornly refused. Oh well, I didn't care. "Armin," I finally said, "Armin, thanks and all, but it's really okay."_

_Armin sighed heavily. "I just think that Levi would like it better if it was neat, you know? Considering what a neat freak he is."_

_I laughed. "It doesn't bother him as long as it's clean."_

_Finally, Armin but the brush down and smiled. "Okay, you win," he agreed. "Just, I'm sorry, Eren, but I'm just so excited for you! You're getting married! Yeah, you're young and all, but you've found the person you're destined to spend the rest of your life with, and I'm just so happy for you. Finding love like that is a miracle!"_

_Behind him, Mikasa smiled sweetly and finished setting a flower in place on a head piece. "Eren," she said, prompting me to turn around. She looked directly at me and walked over, placing the flower crown on my head and letting the short veil fall down my back. When it was settled in place, she took a step back and smiled wider. "Perfect."_

_I couldn't help feeling a little embarrassed at the decoration. Since we were both male, Levi and I had decided to wear flower crown veils with our suits to signify that we were one and the same now. Still, I smiled as I felt the light, airy material tickle my upper back and neck. I was going to be Levi's partner in life. We were going to care for each other in the way any husband and wife would. We would fulfill both roles for each other. It was a wonderful thought, and it stained my cheeks a light pink._

_Mikasa's smile softened. "Eren," she said quietly, "you look really beautiful."_

_"Thanks. I hope Levi thinks so."_

_"He will."_

_I looked up at her._

_"And he'll take care of you, too. I know you'll be happy together."_

_There was a sort of wisdom in Mikasa's eyes that I couldn't identify at the time, so I just stood and embraced her. She returned the action. "Thank you, Mikasa." And she squeezed me lovingly._

_Somewhere along the line of their relationship, the tension had dissipated between Levi and my sister. I think she had finally realized that everything he had ever done, even beating me up in the courtroom during our early days, was all for my protection in the end. I didn't know for sure though, and I still don't know exactly what changed their relationship. I wasn't going to question it though. They were getting along, and that was all that mattered._

_A knock at the door broke us up. "Eren," came Erwin's voice, "it's time."_

_I exhaled a deep breath and grinned at Armin and Mikasa. "Here we go!"_

_And, with that, I closed my eyes and let them guide me out of the room. I heard Erwin join us and murmur something about how nice I looked. I wasn't really paying attention, because I could only think about Levi and how I was about to marry him. I couldn't wipe the gigantic, stupid smile off my face. My expression probably made me look like a Titan, but I didn't care. I just kept walking forward until I felt Mikasa hold me still, preventing me from taking another step. My heart started drumming in my chest. Oh god, Levi was right in front of me. I squeezed my eyes shut for fear of opening them too quickly. I heard Erwin laugh and direct Armin, Mikasa, and Hanji (who must have led Levi out there) into another room. He then said, "Alright, you two, open your eyes when you hear the door close."_

_I sucked in a breath and heard Levi's hitch. Erwin just chuckled quietly and slowly eased the door shut. The moment I heard it click, my eyes flew open, and I immediately brought my hands up to my face to hide my blushing cheeks, overly goofy smile, and teary eyes._

_Levi was the most beautiful I had ever seen him. He wore a crisp, clean, white suit and tie with a black button-down shirt, just like we had agreed. It was tailored to him perfectly, hugging every curve and showing off his hard-earned physique. His skin was porcelain-smooth, though his cheeks were a rosy pink, and I suddenly realized that he was smiling wide and also had his hands up to his mouth in an attempt to hide his joyful expression. His gray eyes were glossy and shining to the point that I thought they were made of silver. His jet black hair was silky as ever, kept in place by a sweet, delicate crown of white flowers, the same as mine, complete with a short veil dangling down his back._

_I lost it. I broke down crying and embraced him, to which he returned the gesture. He clutched at my arms and shoulders, and I wrapped my arms around his waist. Oh god, this creature of perfection was about to become my husband. The thought alone was enough to make me bawl._

_"Hey, stop it," he said gently, looking up at me and brushing my tears away. "Enough, you'll stain your suit."_

_"Sorry," I whispered back, wiping the threatening tears away from his eyes, "I'm just so happy. You look beautiful…gorgeous! Stunning and-"_

_"Quiet, you little brat. You're gonna make me start." And he wiped his own eyes, holding back an embarrassed laugh._

_I smiled at him and wiped my face one more time. When we were composed enough, we each hooked one arm around the other's and opened the doors to the ceremony room with our free hands. We had decided early on that we would walk each other down the aisle to show that we were equal in our relationship, that we were two halves of one whole._

_I couldn't get to the altar fast enough. I just wanted to get up there and be married already! But I restrained myself, and we took our time. We savored the moment. It was a small ceremony, since we had only invited our closest friends (and my one family member), so the walk was short, but it still felt too long to me._

_Finally, we made it up to the altar and unlinked our arms so we could join hands. I barely listened to anything the officiant said, all my attention focused on Levi. Oh god, only a few more minutes and we would be married. THIS WAS ACTUALLY HAPPENING._

_It took me a moment to realize the officiant had asked me if I'd have Levi for my husband. I jerked a bit out of surprise and embarrassment, causing snickers to arise from the crowd (dammit, Jean), but then said, "I do."_

_After a few more moments, I continued, "I, Eren, take you, Levi, to be my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, as long as we both shall live." And, with that, I slipped the ring onto Levi's finger. OH GOOD GOD I HAD DONE IT. I HAD SAID MY VOWS._

_Levi said his own vows and slipped the ring onto my finger, but I was so deliriously happy and drunk on euphoria that I barely registered it. My knees were growing weak, and I was shaking. I hoped that Levi didn't notice my sweaty palms, but I think he did because he smirked up at me, silently calling me a little brat. It was a term of endearment nowadays though, and I accepted his jab as my hands tightened around his, and he squeezed back._

_"Eren and Levi," the officiant finished with a smile, "in so much as the two of you have agreed to live together in Matrimony, have promised your commitment to each other by these vows, the joining of your hands, and the giving of these rings, by the authority vested in me by the King, I now pronounce you married. You may seal your vows with a kiss."_

_And we did. Oh, we did. The crowd around us exploded with cheers and applause, but I couldn't hear any of it. All I could hear was Levi's breathing and soft moaning, and all I could feel were his hands on my face and his heartbeat running wild against my chest._

_Oh god, we were married. At last._

"Eren!"

Eren jumped at the sudden voice and turned to see Armin standing in the doorway. The blond grinned and said, "C'mon, we gotta take our seats. The ceremony is about to start!" And he rushed down the hall to catch up with the rest of the guys.

Smiling, Eren looked down at his son and bounced him in his arms. "And I'll bet that's how Uncle Connie and Aunt Sasha feel right now. I bet they're so excited to get married they can barely stand it. So, while the morning's been tough, baby, the rest of the day is gonna be great."

The little boy looked up at him and smiled back. "I was imagining how Papa looked when you were describing him, Daddy. It sounds like that was the most beautiful he's ever looked."

Eren's smile softened and he pressed his lips against the child's head, burying his nose in that same silky, black hair that belonged to his beloved husband. Out of all the physical traits their son could have inherited from Levi, Eren was glad he had received his hair. It was so pretty, much nicer than the chocolate brown mess that sat upon his head. That black hair and those green eyes were a constant reminder that he was theirs, both of theirs, as in, he had come from the two of them, and Eren couldn't imagine a greater expression of love.

"The second-most beautiful," he barely whispered.

"Hm?"

"Ah, that's another story for another day," Eren said, standing up straight again. "Come on, baby, let's go meet up with Papa and find our seats so Uncle Connie and Aunt Sasha can get married!"

And, for the fist time that day, the child was excited. "Yay!" he squealed, clapping his hands together as Eren walked them back inside. "Time to live happily ever after!"

TO BE CONTINUED


	8. Wedding Story, Part 2

"Presenting now, for the first time ever as husband and wife, Mr. Connie Braus-Springer and Mrs. Sasha Braus-Springer!"

The reception room burst into loud, excited applause as the newlyweds entered, huge smiles on their faces and a skip in their step. They waved to their friends as they held hands, looking much more like their usual goofy selves than they had during the rather serious ceremony. Connie's tie was already loose, and the first two buttons of his shirt had already been undone. Sasha's hair had been pulled from its perfect bun, and half a piece of bread was hanging from her lips, signaling that perhaps she had been more desperate than anyone to get the reception started. Her father was sitting at a table in the corner of the room, and he rolled his eyes at his daughter, amused. Some things never changed.

After a few more seconds of applause, the newlyweds walked hand-in-hand to the dance floor. Sasha made sure to swallow the piece of bread before allowing Connie to hold her flush against his body. He took one of her hands in his and placed his other hand at the small of her back while she placed her other hand on his shoulder. Soon the music started, and the two began to dance.

The littlest member of the Jaeger family watched in awe from his seat at the table. Now that the ceremony was over, he had been allowed to unbutton the first two buttons of his own shirt, and he was feeling much more physically comfortable. But he was also much more emotionally comfortable. His papa and daddy had gotten married because they loved each other, and now two more people were married because they loved each other. The idea that two of his friends loved each other as much as his daddy and papa loved each other made his heart happy.

And the dance was a joy to watch. Connie and Sasha were surprisingly graceful as they stepped together to the slow, romantic music. It was a simple dance, but it was full of love. Even the child could see this, but he was most enamored with Sasha's wedding gown and the way it moved and spun with her. Much like the dance, it was simple. The top half resembled a long-sleeved t-shirt, and the bottom half floated away from her in an A-line style. The only real decoration were the adorable buttons that reached from the top of her back all the way down to the very bottom of the skirt. Never having been one for it, she wore no jewelry, but she didn't need it. She shone with her own radiance, no doubt overjoyed at finally being married to her best friend.

When the first dance ended, Sasha's father joined the couple on the dance floor, and Connie respectfully backed away so the man could have one last dance with his daughter. Only Sasha noticed it, but there was a tear in the old man's eye.

"What do you think, baby?" Eren whispered into his son's ear, a smile on his face.

The little boy glanced at his daddy for just a moment before gluing his eyes back on the dance floor. The smile on his own face was one of fascination. "Aunt Sasha looks really beautiful."

"She does, doesn't she?"

When the father/daughter dance ended, Connie reappeared on the dance floor and grinned up at Sasha's father. The man silently placed Sasha's hand in her new husband's, knowing that it truly was time to let her go. Still silent, he left the dance floor and went back to his seat, allowing the newlyweds to greet their friends and make their welcoming toast.

Finally, the food started coming out. Sasha and Connie ran to their table, just as eager to start eating as they had been to get married. After all, since it was a wedding, there was bound to be plenty of good food!

When the first course came to the Jaeger family's table, Eren placed a roll on the child's plate. "Daddy?" the little boy began as Eren ripped the bread apart for him. "Did you and Papa have a first dance at your wedding, too?"

Levi snorted. "I don't think you could call it a dance. Daddy's clumsy."

Eren pouted at his husband. "Not my fault I didn't know how to dance at the time."

The raven snorted again. "No problems working 3D Maneuver Gear and rushing to the battlefield, jumping from point to point to slash at Titans' necks. But four basic dance steps? Oh no, too hard, can't do it." He smirked a little at the deepening pout on his husband's face.

The little boy giggled at the thought of his daddy tripping over his own two feet during their first dance in front of all their friends. Eren caught this and shrugged. "Just wait until we're invited to dance, too," he said. "I've gotten better."

Soon Mikasa made her toast as the Maid of Honor, and Reiner made his as the Best Man. The main course was served quickly afterwards, and everyone marveled at the small pieces of meat on all the plates. Connie and Sasha had really poured a lot of money into the event so that everyone could share in the food that they loved so much. The main course lasted a little longer than expected, as everyone took the time to savor each morsel.

And then the fun started. The music became fast and catchy, and the dance floor was open to everyone. Eren immediately took his son's hand and led him out, Levi opting out of the "fun." He just watched as the brats made fools of themselves, but, oh, they did look like they were having a good time. The wide smiles on their faces were the best indicators, and Levi found himself smiling that his son was finally feeling better.

After a little while, the child returned to the table for a break. He went to sit in his own seat until Levi patted his knee, signaling that he was inviting him to sit in his lap. Smiling, the little boy went to his papa's side and snuggled up to him when he was situated.

Levi looked down at the boy with a gentle smile. "Having fun?"

"Uh-huh!"

"Good."

"Papa?"

"Hm?"

"Daddy told me about when you two got married while we were outside. He said that you were really beautiful."

Levi hated the pink flush he could feel spreading across his cheeks. His husband had the worst kind of control over him. Forget controlling Titans, Eren had the ability to open the floodgates on Levi's emotions, and that was the most dangerous power of all. Gone were the days of stoical and cynical Levi, at least to him. To his friends, he was still that same intimidating, steely-eyed captain, Humanity's Strongest Soldier, from years ago. But, to Eren and their son, he was a loving, devoted (if a little strict about house rules) husband and parent. The titles made Levi's head spin, and he often wondered how he had allowed them be applied to him. Curse Eren Jaeger and the power of his love.

Levi sighed and knitted his brows together, hoping to fight the blush. "Well, Daddy looked handsome, too," he finally replied, voice a bit strained. He let out a frustrated sigh and hugged his son a little tighter. The little boy looked up at him, an expectant glint in his eye, and he shifted uncomfortably. "What?" he finally continued. "You want me to tell you my point of view of our wedding?"

The child nodded eagerly, green eyes sparkling with excitement.

And, at that moment, Levi knew he had lost. He let out another long sigh and nodded. "Alright, whatever you want…"

_The night before our wedding, I stood on top of Wall Maria. We had been able to recapture it, and, thanks to what we had found in Grisha Jaeger's basement, the Titan population was starting to decline. They weren't all gone yet, and we would need to go out on several more expeditions spanning the course of several more years, but the Survey Corps had never been in better shape, and humanity had never been in a better position to recapture its land. It was the perfect time to get married, to look forward to and be excited about the future. All I could think about was all that unexplored territory and how Eren was the only person I wanted to explore it with._

_Also, I had to admit, I wanted to know what this "ocean" looked like._

_"Nervous?"_

_I turned and saw none other than Mikasa Ackerman standing behind me, gear strapped on and a smile on her face._

_I shrugged. "Not really. Just wanted to look out here."_

_We stood in a comfortable silence for a long time, just staring out at the unknown world together. Since it was nighttime, there were no Titans roaming about, so we felt secure, as if we humans were actually in control of the land. A great feeling really, but still a dream for the time._

_Eventually, Mikasa spoke. "I know you'll protect Eren."_

_I glanced at her, silently questioning her statement. How did she know that for a fact? I had beaten the crap out of him in front of her, in front of all the high-ranking officers in the Survey Corps, the Garrison, and the Military Police, including the people who managed all three branches. Hadn't Armin once mentioned that she had threatened to kill me if I laid another finger on her bratty brother? I was curious as to why she suddenly felt as though I would protect him._

_She looked at me knowingly and said, "You and I have experienced the pain of losing people we love. That was why I put so much energy into protecting Eren when we were kids."_

_I rolled my eyes. "I'm sure he gave you a workout, the little dumbass."_

_She cracked a smirk. "Yeah, but you know what that's like, too. How many times have you saved him?"_

_And then I realized what she was saying. Both of us had lost many of the people most important to us. For her, Eren was her only family left in the entire world. For me, he was the symbol of a new family, and she would be getting a new family out of our marriage, too. But, most importantly, she knew I would protect him because I, too, had lost too many other people._

_I placed my fist over my heart in a salute._

_"And I'll continue to save him every time he screws up."_

_She was grinning now, and she returned the gesture._

_"Good luck keeping up."_

_The next day, I dressed myself, not trusting Hanji or Erwin to arrange my outfit properly. I only asked Erwin for his opinion on how I looked, and he nodded in satisfaction. Hanji fixed my flower crown so it was sitting snugly on my head without ruining my hair. She had this stupid grin on her face, like she was the one getting married._

_I couldn't smile. While my meeting with Mikasa the night before had been reassuring, it had also reminded me too much of all the people I had lost. I had my head down as Hanji arranged my hair, and, when she asked me to look up, I couldn't stop the words spilling from my lips as my eyes met hers._

_"I wish Petra, Auruo, Eld, Gunther, and Mike could be here."_

_Her smile disappeared. She brought her hands back to herself and looked at me as though she were about to cry. Letting out a sigh, she finally spoke, "I do, too."_

_Those were the last words we spoke to one another before the ceremony. Erwin left the room to fetch Eren, and Hanji led me outside the ceremony space to wait for him. I wanted to cry the entire time, but the tears wouldn't come._

_And then I heard footsteps, and I realized that Eren was standing in front of me. Erwin laughed quietly and directed Hanji, Armin, and Mikasa (I assumed that the two of them had been fixing the brat up) into the ceremony space. He followed shortly after and said, "Alright, you two, open your eyes when you hear the door close."_

_My breath hitched and I heard Eren suck a breath in. Erwin laughed again and slowly slid the door shut. The damn tease just loved to torture us, and I could picture the smug smirk on his face._

_After what seemed like forever, the door clicked shut, and I opened my eyes. My hands flew up to my face, my eyes went wide, and I could feel the tears started to fight their way out, this time for an entirely different reason. For a brat, Eren cleaned up rather nicely. He was dressed in a black suit and tie with a white button-down shirt, just like we had agreed. He had already had a massive growth spurt, hitting 6'1" with no signs of slowing down, and the suit made him look even taller and leaner, but, height difference be damned, he looked gorgeous. A crown made of white flowers complete with a veil that matched mine adorned his head. His chocolate brown hair had been tousled to perfection, and his eyes were bright and glossy. Oh god, I hadn't thought his eyes could be anymore beautiful than they already were, but I had been dead wrong. At that moment, I thought that, if the ocean was a body of water so massive no human could see its end, I wanted its water to be the same color as Eren's eyes, the most beautiful color that could ever be. It took me a moment to realize that tears were freely flowing from those incredible eyes._

_"Hey, stop it," I said, brushing his tears away. "Enough, you'll stain your suit."_

_"Sorry," he whispered back, wiping the threatening tears away from my eyes. "I'm just so happy. You look beautiful…gorgeous! Stunning and-!"_

_"Quiet, you little brat. You're gonna make me start." I wiped my own eyes, holding back an embarrassed laugh. Why did he always have to say such wonderful things?_

_The rest happened in something of a blur. I remember Eren taking my arm in his and the two of us walking down the aisle, but I don't remember anything else clearly until he said, "I do." When the officiant asked me if I'd have Eren as my husband, I repeated the words._

_I waited patiently for Eren to say his vows, and, actually, he managed to get through them rather nicely. When he finished, the officiant prompted me to say the same._

_"I, Levi, take you, Eren, to be my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, as long as we both shall live." And I slipped the ring on his finger. He squeezed my hands in response, and, oh god, they were disgustingly sweaty but in an endearing sort of way. I smiled up at him and gently squeezed back. Yes, I was happy, truly happy._

_The officiant's finalizing line was lost on me as Eren pulled me flush against him and into a breathtaking kiss, one that made my heart run wild. I think our friends were applauding, but I couldn't hear anything except for his quiet moans and my own blood rushing through my veins._

_We were married. At last. And I would protect Eren forever._

"Levi!"

Eren gently shook his husband's shoulder, smiling wide and slightly out of breath from all the dancing. Levi glanced up at him, snapping back to reality, and raised a brow. "What is it? I was telling a very important story, in case you didn't notice."

Eren laughed. "You've been doing that a lot more lately. You're taking my job, you know."

"You can tell me stories, too, Daddy!"

Eren let out another laugh and nodded. "Thanks, baby. Anyway, Levi, Sasha and Connie invited all the couples to dance with them. So," He held a hand out and bowed respectfully, still grinning like an idiot, "may I have this dance?"

Levi rolled his eyes but couldn't stop the small smile appearing on his face. He set their son down in a free seat and said, "Be right back, baby, watch Daddy mess up." And, with that, he took Eren's hand, rose from his seat, and followed his husband to the dance floor. Eren wrapped an arm around his waist and took one of his hands in his free one. Levi comfortably rested his free hand on Eren's chest (since he couldn't reach his shoulder), and the two began to dance, completely lost in the music, the movement of their feet, and one another. Ah yes, Eren had improved since their own first dance, but the dance was still overly simple, a beginner's dance. Ah, whatever, they hadn't had many chances to be romantic with one another since the birth of their child, so they savored the moment, Connie and Sasha and Ymir and Historia sharing the floor with them.

Their child, on the other hand, was much more interested in the people not on the dance floor. He glanced at Jean who, sure enough, had a full glass of wine next to his own half-finished glass on the table. "It would be weird if he danced with Guardian Angel Marco since nobody can see him," the little boy mused, his eyes traveling over to Mikasa, who was too absorbed in watching the couples dance to care about the fact that she wasn't. He then glanced at Reiner and Bertholdt. While the blond looked like he wanted to dance, the brunet next to him seemed way too embarrassed and nervous, so they had settled with just sitting closely next to each other.

However, the person next to them was a different story. Annie seemed distracted, glancing away from the dance floor every so often. The child followed her momentary gazes, and they landed on none other than his Uncle Armin! The blond was too wrapped up in watching the couples dance, much like Mikasa, so he missed Annie's glances, but the little boy caught every single one of them. Without a moment to lose, he dashed to the table and prompted Armin to lean down.

"Hm? What is it, sweetheart?" the blond asked. He listened to the child's whispered reply, and a blush spread across his face. "…Really?" And he gulped when the little boy nodded. He glanced over at Annie, who quickly averted her gaze to the dance floor, mentally hoping he hadn't seen her. She wasn't prepared when he shakily walked over to her and asked her to dance.

Satisfied with his work at seeing the two blonds walk out to the dance floor, the child walked over to Reiner and Bertholdt, who stared at him in awed surprise. The little boy just grinned and said, "Maybe Uncle Armin and Aunt Annie will get married next!"

It certainly didn't help that Annie caught the bouquet.

* * *

Eren and Levi walked home hand-in-hand that night, their child already peacefully asleep in Eren's arms. The night was quiet and a little chilly, and the moon was full, casting a pale glow on the earth. A perfect wedding night really. It actually reminded Levi of his own wedding night, and he was thankful it was so dark that Eren couldn't see the blush spreading across his face. If their wedding had been great, their wedding night had been… _amazing_.

"Were you telling him about our wedding?"

Levi perked up at his husband's voice and looked up at him, just able to make out the soft smile on his face. He sighed and nodded. "Yeah, he said you told him about it, so he wanted to hear about it from my point of view."

Eren sighed, too. "He's growing up too fast."

"Shut up, brat, don't remind me."

"Remember, we promised we'd play with him all day tomorrow."

"Don't remind me of that either."

"You were the one who promised it!"

"…Daddy?"

"Oh crap," Eren whispered, detaching the hand holding Levi's so he could rub his son's back, lulling him back to sleep. "Sorry, baby, I didn't mean to wake you," he said gently. "Go back to sleep."

The little boy nodded and rested his head back on his daddy's shoulder. "I was…imagining…how you looked…when you married Papa," he mumbled drowsily, already falling back into unconsciousness. "Really…beautiful…" And he was suddenly asleep again.

Eren let out a sigh of relief and brought his hand back down to Levi's. He expected a dirty look from his husband, but Levi didn't do anything except lovingly squeeze his hand, reassuring him that it was okay since the child was asleep again.

_"Daddy was indeed beautiful at our wedding, but he was more beautiful another time,"_ he thought as they finally approached their home.

But that was another story for another day. First, sleep. Next, playtime.

END


	9. Playtime Story

_I have to get out of here._

_I have to run, but I don't know where to run to._

_I have to escape, but I don't know any safe places._

_I have to survive, but I don't know how long I can last._

_I start running the best I can. My legs are trembling, and I often stumble, but I don't stop. There are many obstacles in my way, blocking my path and making it more difficult to traverse. If I had my gear, I could latch onto these things, the various trees, rocks, and abandoned homes, but I lost it long ago. It's a miracle I've been able to last this long as it is._

_I'm scared. I want to go home, but I don't know which way my home is._

_I keep running. I'm frantic, panicked, and not thinking clearly. I am the prey, and they are the hunters. I could be falling right into a trap. I could be surrounded right now, even though I don't see any of them. Do I scream? Do I cry out and hope someone finds me? But what if one of them finds me first? I'll surely die._

_I don't want to die._

_I stop short and try to hear above my own heavy breathing. Something is out there, and it's close. I feel eyes on me, but I don't know from where they're looking. I turn my head to the right, nothing. I turn it to the left, nothing. I turn straight ahead, nothing. I look up, nothing. I look down, nothing._

_I turn around._

_The Titan lunges at me._

_And I scream._

"GRRRAAAAAAAUUUUUUUGH!"

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Eren swooped down and grabbed his son in his big hands, immediately hoisting the squirming, still-screaming child in the air. He suddenly hugged the little boy against him and moved his fingers all over the little body, causing the child to burst out laughing in between his loud squealing. Eren then opened his mouth, covered his teeth with his lips, and started alternating between kissing and nipping gently at the little boy's face.

"Nom nom nom!" he growled playfully. "Yummy! Yummy yummy little human baby!"

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEK! NO NO NO!" the little boy squealed, laughing hysterically while trying to escape his daddy's clutches. Eventually, Eren loosened his grip on the child, and the little boy wriggled his way out of his grasp. The child fell onto his little bed, immediately jumped up, and ran out of his room and down the stairs, still screaming joyfully. He turned the corner into the kitchen, where Levi was walking in through the back door with a fresh basket of clean laundry. When he saw the boy running at him, the man set the basket on the floor and held his foot out. His son tripped and fell face-first into the white, fluffy sheets, effectively shutting him up and stopping the escape run at the same time.

Levi sighed, satisfied. "Man, I am getting good at this 'parent' thing."

The little boy lifted his head, cheeks flushed pink, breath heavy, and mouth smiling. "Hi, Papa!"

"Let me guess, the Tickle Titan got you again."

"Uh-huh!"

Levi sighed a second time, this time not so satisfied. Instead, he was more than a little annoyed. The day after Connie and Sasha's wedding, he and Eren had played with their son for the whole day, as promised. Playtime had started out simple enough with building a replica of Wall Maria with blocks, playing house with rag dolls, and going outside to kick and throw a bouncy ball around, but it had gone downhill for Levi the moment Eren had decided that it was time to play Survey Corps expedition. In what was probably humanity's greatest example of dramatic irony ever, he had taken on the role of the "Tickle Titan," and it was up to Levi and their son to slay him or face his ticklish wrath of hugs and kisses. Levi had rolled his eyes and glared at him in the most unamused, unimpressed way ever, as if to say, "Are you serious right now?" But the look of excitement and glee on his son's face had stopped him, and he had reluctantly agreed to play.

Of course, he had put himself in "harm's" way immediately so that he could get "eaten" and not have to play anymore, but that was a minor detail.

It had been two weeks since then though, and the game was starting to wear thin on Levi's nerves. He was close to asking (read: ordering) his husband and son to stop, but their child was dead-set on slaying the menace plaguing their house.

And Levi knew that there was only one thing to do.

"Alright, that's it," he said roughly, placing his hands on his hips and staring his son down. "Attention, Soldier Jaeger!"

The child knew that voice. It was his papa's "I mean business" voice, and he immediately stood up straight. "Yes, Papa?"

"That's no way to greet your captain, Soldier!" Levi shouted in the gentlest tone he could manage while still keeping a sense of authority about him. "When your captain demands your attention, you salute him and say, 'Sir!' Now do it!"

"Sir!" the little boy said back, placing his fist over his heart in a perfect military salute, as it had clicked in his mind that this was part of the game.

Levi nodded. "Much better. Now then, Soldier Jaeger, I don't know about you, but I've had enough of this Tickle Titan. It's time the human race took this house back from the enemy. You and I will go on a special mission to defeat this monster and give humanity its next glorious victory. Do you accept?"

The child grinned and nodded excitedly. "Yes, Sir!"

"Very good. Now then, let's get suited up and head out!"

"Yes, Sir!" the child repeated, following behind as his papa picked up the laundry basket and walked out of the kitchen. Levi led him upstairs to the master bedroom, where he patiently stood in the doorway as his papa set the clean sheets down on the unmade bed, sighing. Making the bed would have to wait. He then walked across the hall to the child's bedroom, but the little boy stayed put. "That's where I was attacked," he said.

Levi nodded once and cautiously opened the door, glancing about the room for any sign of his husband, but Eren wasn't there. _Ah, he must have snuck out while we were downstairs,_ Levi thought, entering the room and opening the closet. He pulled a few various clothes from the hangers and then retuned to his own bedroom, presenting them to his son. "Put these on," he said. "A soldier must be in uniform when on a mission."

"Yes, Sir!" the little boy replied, turning around and observing the clothes in his hands. There was a brown jacket, a pair of lightly-colored pants, a belt, and his rain boots. He put each piece on until he got to the jacket, at which he frowned. He then turned and went to say something, but he stopped when he saw that his papa was suddenly wearing his Survey Corps uniform, complete with his jacket and harness, his casual clothes neatly folded on the unmade bed. The child's eyes widened in awe, and he looked down at his own jacket. "Um, Sir?"

"Yes, Soldier Jaeger?" Levi asked, turning and tying his cravat into place.

"Uh…my jacket doesn't have a symbol, Sir."

He held up the blank jacket for emphasis, and Levi hummed in thought. "Yes, it would appear that way. No problem, we can fix this." He took the jacket and led his son back downstairs to the supply closet. There, he pulled two handkerchiefs, one white and one blue, from a box of miscellaneous supplies along with a sewing kit.

After cutting up the pieces and sewing them onto the jacket to resemble the Wings of Freedom, Levi presented the jacket back to his son, who was waiting patiently next to him at the kitchen table. "There you go, Soldier Jaeger," he said, "welcome to the Survey Corps."

The little boy grinned and immediately put the jacket on. "Thank you, Sir!"

Levi nodded, his heart feeling light at seeing his son so happy. However, he kept his strict, militaristic expression as he stood from the table. "Now then, we have to get you some gear. Come with me." He led the child outside into the chilly autumn afternoon, scanned the yard, and picked up two long, thin sticks. After pulling the leaves and smaller branches from it, he handed them to his son. He didn't even care that they were a little dirty. Better to end the game and clean up later than continue to put up with his husband's antics. "Your weapons, Soldier Jaeger. Is that it?"

"Um, what about gear?"

"Don't worry, I'll be your back-up with my gear."

"Okay! Thank you, Sir!"

Levi nodded and led his son back inside. "As of right now," he said as soon as he closed the back door, "we are on our mission. Be careful and stay alert. We have to find the Tickle Titan before it finds us, or we'll be at a great disadvantage. When we engage in combat, stay calm and keep aiming for the back of the neck. Like I said, I'll be your back-up, but it's up to you to slay this monster. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Sir!" the little boy replied, grinning and placing his fist over his heart in a salute. The excitement in his eyes was easy to see, and Levi almost smirked at it. He still couldn't help but internally groan at how horribly ironic this game was, but, as long as Eren's secret stayed safe, he figured it was okay to pretend.

In response, Levi brought a finger to his lips and shushed the child. The little boy immediately brought his arms down to his sides and nodded, suddenly remembering his captain's instructions. The Tickle Titan could be hiding anywhere! Determined to find it first, the child tip-toed out of the kitchen and led Levi up the stairs, back to where he had been attacked. Quietly, they waited in the space between his room and the master bedroom, but there was no sign of the enemy.

That was when the child's bedroom door slowly creaked open, and a gasp escaped into the air. The child immediately clamped his mouth shut and turned to his captain, who pointed at the door. Both nodding, the two entered the room and silently scanned it, waiting for any signs of life. Everything was still but a strange tension hung in the air, as if the two knew they weren't alone.

Another creak came from behind them.

"CHARGE!" Levi shouted, turning and pointing at Eren, who had both of his hands up in a claw-like pose and his mouth open, ready to roar and "bite." Eren jumped at him and attempted to grab him, but Levi moved out of the way at the last second, and their son ran behind Eren and swiped at the back of his legs with one of his stick swords. Eren fell to his knees and reached around to grab the child, but Levi picked him up first and made "zoom" sounds, mimicking the 3D Maneuver Gear as he flew him towards Eren's neck. The little boy held his stick swords high.

"SIE SIND DAS ESSEN UND WIR SIND DIE JAEGER!"

And he struck them down.

The Tickle Titan let out a pained roar and fell to the floor, motionless.

Levi set his son down, and the two silently watched the defeated monster closely. After a few moments, Eren got the message, and he started making "sizzle" sounds.

"We did it!" the little boy squealed, jumping up and down and waving his stick swords in the air. He looked up at Levi and grinned. "We did it, Captain, we won!"

Levi finally let the smirk grace his face, and he nodded. "Yes, we did. Good job, Soldier Jaeger, I'll be sure to report to the Commander that humanity won another victory today."

The child giggled, dropped his stick swords, and ran over to Eren, patting his face lightly. "Game over, Daddy, we win."

Eren opened his eyes and laughed, sitting up and pulling his son into a hug. "You got me! Good job, baby, you're a natural!" He sprinkled kisses all over the child's face, prompting sweet giggles and squeals of joy. Eren kept his grip on him as he stood and bent over to kiss Levi. "You got all dressed up in your uniform just to slay me? I'm flattered."

Levi rolled his eyes. "Whatever, anything to stop this ridiculous game of yours."

Eren grinned. "And you even made the little guy his own Survey Corps jacket? Man, you must have been desperate."

"I can slay Titans with you now, Daddy!"

"I think we'll wait until you're a little older to slay real ones. In a perfect world, they'd all be gone by the time you're old enough to join the military anyway."

Levi stole another kiss from his husband. "Yes, let's hope for that instead." He lingered there for a moments, eyes closed, silently telling Eren all his hopes and dreams for their son in the future, how he'd live in his own home outside the walls, free from terror, free from his cage, just…free. Eren smiled gently and placed a kiss on the raven's forehead, silently confirming that their dreams for their son's future were the same.

Eventually, Levi sighed and pulled away. "Okay, because I spent my afternoon messing around with you two, I never got to make the bed, and I haven't gone to the market to get stuff for dinner. It's all your faults."

"Aw, Papa!" the little boy in Eren's arms whined.

Levi snorted amusedly. "Why don't you go to the market with Daddy while I make the bed? Oh, and I gotta change out of my uniform, too. Also your faults."

Eren laughed. "Whatever you say, we'll be back."

"I wanna keep wearing my uniform, Daddy!"

"Alright, no problem."

The couple kissed one more time before separating, and life immediately went back to normal. For the first time in two weeks, the Jaeger household was free from the Tickle Titan's cuddly, fun-loving control.

But Levi could swear that he heard giggling after Eren left to tuck their son into bed that night.

And he soon found himself subject to another kind of fun torture on those clean sheets lining that freshly made bed once Eren returned to their room.

END


	10. Chair Story

Levi could feel himself being pulled out of his unconscious bliss, his brain slowly forcing the rest of his body to return to the waking world. His eyelids felt heavy as he desperately attempted to keep them shut, and he suddenly found himself aware of his surroundings. He instinctively knew that it was far too early to be awake, even for soldiers, as the room was dark. He recognized his and Eren's king-sized bed with its fluffy pillows and soft sheets, so at least the material world was familiar. He then registered his husband rolling over and the mattress moving with him, causing his tired eyes to surrender and finally open. Eren yawned loudly while a low groan escaped from Levi's throat. What in the world could have…?

And then they heard it.

A whimper? No, more like crying.

Not crying…wailing.

Loud, hysterical wailing.

Their parental instincts suddenly kicked in, and Eren and Levi sprang from their bed, both now fully awake and alert. Eren quickly lit a candle in a tray, and the two ran across the hall into their son's bedroom. Levi slammed the door open, panting heavily, eyes wide with fear at what could possibly be causing his dear baby such distress, and Eren held up the candle so they could see.

Sitting on the little bed was their baby boy, sobbing heavily and covered in vomit.

After another split-second of staring, the two parents swooped down to their son. Eren set the candle on the nearby nightstand and picked the little boy up, but the child was so panicked that he was flailing and kicking his daddy, spreading the mess to his pajamas as well. Eren barely cared though, his first priority to calm the child down. "Shhh, shhh, baby," he whispered gently, "baby, sweetheart, it's okay, don't worry, we'll fix it."

"Give him to me," Levi said, holding his open arms out. "I'll give him a bath. You wash the dirty sheets and get him some new ones."

Eren nodded and placed the child in his husband's arms, immediately going to work on cleaning the bed. Levi slowly and gently rocked the boy on his hip as he carried him into the washroom. After years of practice, he had learned how to do nearly everything one-handed, so he lit a candle sitting on the sink counter, got the warm tub water running, and then set his son down on the floor.

"Alright, let's get you out of these dirty clothes," he murmured, pulling the end of the shirt up over the child's head. He was thankful that the sobs had started to calm a little bit, but his heart still broke at the sight of his baby in tears. He gently peeled the pajama pants and underwear off and threw them into a nearby basket before dipping his little boy into the full tub. "There we go," he said, "now let's clean you up." He took a washcloth, lathered it up with plenty of soap, and started wiping the mess away, along with the last of the child's cries.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, Levi making sure to wash everywhere from top to bottom. The thought of his child being sick made him feel sick, so he eventually said, "What happened, baby, do you remember?"

The little boy sniffed pathetically and dropped his head, fresh tears starting to form in his eyes. "I…I don't know, Papa, I just…I woke up and felt kinda yucky, and I was gonna come get you, but…"

Levi nodded. "Okay, I understand. Do you still feel bad?"

"Not really, just…sad."

Levi paused in his washing to press his hand against the child's forehead and then checked his eyes, ears, nose and mouth. He sighed heavily through his nose, mentally thanking whomever he could think of that his son had no other signs or symptoms of being sick. "Well, you don't have a fever, and it doesn't look like anything else is wrong, so maybe your tummy just didn't feel like cooperating with dinner. It happens sometimes." He shrugged and started washing again.

After another minute or so of silence, the little boy mumbled, "I'm sorry, Papa."

Levi froze, eyes widening. He tipped his son's head up so he could look into his eyes and said, "Why are you sorry, baby? Don't be sorry, you didn't do anything wrong."

"…I'm sorry I made a mess."

A brick of guilt dropped in Levi's stomach, and he suddenly felt like he was going to be sick. His precious baby hadn't been crying because he had gotten sick; he had been crying because he had thought he was in trouble because getting sick had made a mess.

And Levi never hated himself more than he did at that exact moment. He mentally swore at himself and shut his eyes tightly, attempting to keep the tears at bay. His mouth was clamped shut so hard his teeth hurt, and his breath came out as desperate pants through his nose. How dare he? How dare he raise his son with his obsessive cleanliness? How dare he raise his son…how dare he raise a child at all. He kept berating himself like this, even after he opened his eyes and saw the sincerely concerned look on his baby's face. Oh god, now he was worrying the little boy, when he should be the one worrying enough for the both of them.

His slightly trembling hands gently cupped the child's face. In the most loving, gentlest voice he could manage through his tense jaw and emotional self-hatred, he said, "Baby, you are not in trouble. You didn't break any rules, and I'm not angry about the mess. Do I look angry?"

The child shook his head.

Levi's jaw finally relaxed a bit, and he nodded. "Because I'm really not. I'm more worried about you. Sheets and pajamas can be washed, and I can clean you up. When I heard you crying, I thought you were hurt or seriously sick, and, if something happened to you…Oh my god, baby, I can change your sheets and pajamas, but I can't get another you." With no regard for the water splashing out of the tub, he leaned over and hugged the little boy tightly, hoping he could convey all his love in the action. He relaxed a little more when he felt the child cuddle up against his chest. "Do you understand?" he whispered against the dark hair tucked under his chin. "I've learned this far too late in life, but messes are a part of life. If you make a mess on purpose, yes, I'll be mad, but that's why we have cleaning supplies. But, in a case like this, where the mess isn't your fault at all, it's different."

"But," the little boy whimpered against his papa's chest, "the mess was so gross, Papa."

"I was sick all day every day for months when I was pregnant with you. I'm used to it."

"But…!"

"If we weren't supposed to get messy once in a while, why do soap, water, and washcloths exist?"

Levi could feel the child's eyes bursting open in realization, and he finally smirked.

"Exactly. Now let's get you dry."

He pulled his son out of the tub, let the water drain, and wrapped the child in a big, fluffy towel. He then picked him up and walked back into the bedroom, where Eren, now dressed in clean pajamas, was smoothing out the top blanket on the newly made bed. He grinned when he saw the two of them enter and said, "Got you a new set of sheets, baby. I soaked the dirty ones downstairs to make sure they don't stain."

Levi nodded, handing their son to his husband. "Thanks, I'm gonna go change and soak the dirty pajamas, too."

Eren cuddled the little boy against his chest as Levi gathered their son's dirty pajamas from the bathroom and then went into the master bedroom. As soon as Levi was downstairs, Eren walked to the closet and pulled a new set of pajamas out. "Let's get you dressed," he said, setting the child down and wiping the remaining wetness off his skin. Once his son was dressed, Eren sat on the little bed, holding him in his lap and gently rubbing his side. "All better," he cooed lovingly, "now I think you need some hugs and kisses and a happy story so you can sleep and have good dreams."

Eren was about to ask what story his son wanted to hear when he heard Levi come back up the stairs. When the shorter man appeared in the doorway though, he was carrying something, and it brought a smile to Eren's face. "The rocking chair…" Levi nodded and set the piece of furniture in a bare spot in the corner of the room opposite bed.

Their son looked up at Eren with curious eyes. "What about it, Daddy?"

"Ah, you probably don't remember. You were just a baby."

"Huh?"

"This rocking chair used to be in here when your room was a nursery," Levi explained, traces of a fond smile on his face. "Daddy bought it on sale in the marketplace about a month before you were born. I didn't think we needed it, but, as soon as we put it in your room, we realized how perfectly it fit."

Eren sighed dreamily and looked back at his son. "It also made us realize that we were gonna be parents, that we were gonna have you."

"And you loved it," Levi added. "Whenever you were fussy, one of us would sit in it with you and rock back and forth until you fell asleep. Worked every time. Now then…" He walked over and gently picked their son up, brought him back to the rocking chair, and sat down in it. Eren followed, picking up a nearby quilt, and knelt down next to it, smiling sweetly and watching as his husband held their son like a baby, bundled up warmly in the quilt with his head resting against Levi's chest.

The little boy looked up at his parents questioningly. "I thought I was a big boy…"

Eren shook his head as Levi started rocking the chair back and forth. "Right now, you're our baby."

For a few peaceful minutes, the little family just sat there quietly, the only sound coming from the chair moving against the wooden floor. Between the still night air outside and the gentle rocking movements, the little boy's eyes actually began to close, and he soon relaxed, his head tilting a little as he felt drowsiness slowly take over.

That was when he heard another sound, but it didn't startle him at all. In fact, it was even more relaxing than the rocking chair.

"I like your heartbeat, Papa."

A soft smile broke out on Levi's face, and he began gently stroking his son's hair. With the child's eyes closed and the candlelight illuminating his delicate skin and jet black hair, he looked more like Levi for a change. Levi was dark and pale at the same time, much like the moon shining against the clear night sky, so he liked that his son only looked like him at night, the time when everyone was asleep. He didn't want anyone, including himself, to see his child look like him. No, it was much better that people saw him during the day, when the sun radiated strength and happiness across the world, when he smiled happily and laughed brightly and looked like Eren.

He had to be like Eren. Never Levi, Eren. He definitely had to be more like Eren.

"Do you know why you like Papa's heartbeat?" Eren suddenly asked quietly, brushing his fingers against the little boy's cheek. A wide smile spread across his face as the child cracked his eyes open in question, and he finished, "It's because, when you were growing inside Papa, his heartbeat was the first thing you ever heard."

The next second, the child was asleep, and Levi suddenly wished the candle would go out so Eren couldn't see his burning cheeks.

Eren just lovingly smiled at him. "I like your heartbeat, too, you know."

"Eren…"

"I like it when it's normal, so I know you're alive and well."

"Eren-!"

"I like it when it's working hard during training."

"Eren!"

"I like it when it's sped up while I'm kissing you all over…"

"Shut the hell up, you damn brat."

Eren just laughed. "I was waiting for that." He stood and leaned over, pressing a kiss to Levi's lips. The older man rolled his eyes but returned it anyway.

Levi pulled away first. "Let's keep the rocking chair in here for a little while."

Eren nodded and pressed another light kiss on his husband's lips. "Good idea. Now let's go to bed." He steadied the chair so Levi could stand and followed his husband to the clean bed. Once their son was settled, Levi tucked the blankets around him. Eren, on the other hand, knelt down and peeked underneath the bed, smirking as he reached and pulled something out. "Ah, look who survived the night," he said cheekily, holding up his plushy Titan lookalike. Levi sighed and took it from him, gently wrapping his son's arms around it. The child instinctively hugged it close, and both parents took turns pressing a kiss to his forehead.

"Good night, baby, sweet dreams."

And the rest of the night went on uninterrupted.

* * *

_Silence._

_Eren and Levi stood in the doorway of the nursery and stared. The room was longer than it was wide, but it still had plenty of room for a child to play. The crib, complete with soft sheets, sat in the right corner, facing the doorway. Next to it was the closet, filled with baby clothes. Across from the closet was a box full of toys, and next to the box was a changing station. Light shone through a single window across from the doorway, illuminating the sparkling clean floors. Sitting in the left corner was their most recent purchase._

_A rocking chair._

_"Oh my god," Eren breathed, voice barely above a whisper, "we're going to have a baby."_

_Levi ran his hands over his eight-month pregnant belly._

_"Yeah," he whispered back, staring at the rocking chair._

_This was it. This was real. It was going to happen._

_"We're really going to have a baby."_

END


	11. Future Story

Armin sighed dreamily as he cut the last of the vegetables, setting each in its own pile on the countertop. He then turned to the pot hanging over the fire and gently pulled the lid off, revealing a hot, salty broth. The delicious smell billowed up and hit his nose as it spread throughout the entire house, making the young man smile and his mouth water. One at a time, he placed the vegetables in, stirring the mixture until the ingredients had assimilated. Satisfied with his work, he placed the lid back onto the pot and turned to clean up the countertop.

_Knock knock!_

He let out a little yelp, and his cheeks flushed a pale pink. "Oh no, she's early," he whispered frantically, wiping his hands on a nearby dishcloth. Once they were clean, he ran his fingers through his hair, hoping it looked presentable at least, and ran to the door, his sleeves still rolled up and his apron still tied around his waist. With a deep breath and a confident nod, he placed his hand on the knob and opened the door. "Hi, Ann-!"

"Armin!" Eren gasped happily, cheeks rosy and breath coming out in short pants, visible in the cold night air. His eyes were determined and somewhat relieved, much to Armin's confusion.

The blond shifted his wide eyes from side to side, as if looking for answers even before asking any questions. "Um, what's up?" he finally did ask, shrugging a little for emphasis.

Eren sucked in a breath and said, "Armin, can I ask you a huge favor, please?"

"Um…"

"Can you babysit tonight?"

That was when Armin looked down and saw another pair of bright, green eyes looking up at him. The child pulled his scarf down from his face and smiled sheepishly. "Hi, Uncle Armin."

"…Hi, sweetheart," the blond sighed, melting under that stare. He had always thought that his best friend's eyes were striking, but seeing them on another person, especially on an adorable child, made them utterly irresistible. He completely understood why Levi had become a much softer, gentler person over the years (Of course, Levi was still trying to hide it, so Armin never mentioned it.). Sighing again, he looked back up at his friend, a defeated yet accepting smirk on his face. "For real, Eren? It's a little sudden."

Eren laughed. "Yeah, sorry, it's just…there's this really nice restaurant, and Levi and I have been trying to get in since forever, and a table finally opened…"

Armin rolled his eyes and let out an amused groan. "Did you ever think that maybe I had plans tonight?"

"I would normally ask Mikasa, but she's in Wall Rose, training new Survey Corps recruits."

"What about the rest of the gang?"

"I'm not asking Horse Face for a favor!"

"I didn't say it had to be him."

"That's not a nice way to talk about Uncle Jean, Daddy."

"But it's true!"

"Which one of you is the baby again?"

"Dammit, Armin!"

The blond burst out laughing and shook his head. "Okay, fine, you win, but you owe me." He gently took the little boy's hand and led him inside.

"Oh my god, yes, I do," Eren gasped, "thank you, Armin! I owe you two!" He knelt down quickly. "Be a good boy for Uncle Armin, okay? Papa and I will be back to pick you up later tonight."

The child nodded and smiled. "Okay, Daddy, have fun."

Eren placed a quick kiss on his cheek and stood. "Great, thanks again, Armin!" And he ran off.

With a final sigh, Armin closed the door and bent down to smile at the child. "Your daddy is really silly sometimes, huh?" he said, undressing him of his winter coat and accessories. "Is this scarf new?"

The child shook his head. "Aunt Mikasa made it for me for my birthday last year."

"Ah, your birthday is coming up, right? At the end of January?"

"January 30th. Papa's birthday is first."

Armin grinned as he put the winter clothes in a nearby closet. "That's right, December 25th, Christmas! I remember him being pregnant with you at a party we organized for him. Your daddy had to drag him to it. So I guess that means you were his belated Christmas/birthday present!"

The child giggled a little but then frowned, eyes sad. "Um, I'm sorry if I'm bothering you, Uncle Armin."

"Oh no, you're not-!"

"But I thought you said you had plans."

Armin bit his lip and nodded slightly as he closed the closet door. "Yeah, I did say that, didn't I? But it's okay, I'm sure Aunt Annie won't mind."

"Aunt Annie's coming over?"

Armin nodded and walked back into the kitchen, where he could hear the soup starting to bubble inside the pot on the fire. "Yeah, we were supposed to have our own date tonight, but it's okay. Don't feel bad, okay? I'm sure she'll understand."

_Knock knock!_

The blond yelped once again and ran to the door, frantically running his hands through his hair and slapping them against his cheeks. With a deep breath, he opened the door and smiled awkwardly. "…Hi, Annie."

"Hi, Armin."

"Um…come in." He moved out of the way so the woman could step inside, closed the door behind her, and then helped her shed her own winter coat. She thanked him and then turned, where her eyes landed on the little boy standing in the adjacent living room.

"Oh…what?"

Armin laughed nervously. "Um, heh, it's kind of a long story. See, Eren was just here not two minutes ago, begging me to babysit tonight, and I…"

"You were always too nice for your own good," Annie sighed, but she still gave him a small smile. "It's okay, I don't mind. It might be fun."

"Hi, Aunt Annie."

"Hi, little man. Are you joining us for dinner?"

The child frowned and twiddled his fingers, looking down at the floor. "Only if it's okay," he murmured, sounding quite guilty. "You and Uncle Armin were supposed to have a date, but Papa and Daddy had a date, too, so I-"

"You're joining us for dinner," Annie stated as Armin pulled the pot from the fire and opened it, causing the delicious scent of the finished soup to spread throughout the house. She took the child's hand and led him to the dinner table, propping him up in a spare seat. Armin then set three full bowls in front of them, and the trio feasted.

What the little boy didn't see was when Armin nervously linked his fingers together with Annie's underneath the table, causing the woman's face to light up. She had always had a thing for the blond, but, much like Levi and how he felt for Eren, she would never admit it. What she did have to admit though was how much she liked the man he had grown into. He was around 5'8' and had packed a little bit of muscle onto his bones, but he could still be considered skinny, especially when compared to the giant Eren had become. He had grown out his hair to the point that it reached his shoulders and could be tied back into a ponytail. Annie didn't mind either way, as she just liked his long hair in general.

Annie herself hadn't changed much, partially due to being encased in the crystal for quite some time. She had grown a little bit, but she was still below average height (though she was finally taller than Levi, which nobody pointed out because nobody had a death wish). She had kept her hair the same length as always, still tying it back into a bun, but Armin liked that she had stayed the same over the years. He liked the idea of her catching up on all the time she had lost, both from being an enemy of humanity and from being inside that crystal, and he was always the first to admit it.

At one point during the dinner, he glanced at her and caught her gaze, giving her a smile. "How's the soup?" he asked.

Annie smirked. "Delicious."

"Heh, thank you."

The little boy sitting across from them just smiled.

* * *

While Armin and Annie cleaned the dining table and kitchen (Armin had insisted that he do it alone, but Annie had insisted right back that she help him), their little house guest walked along a large bookcase resting against the living room wall. He had never stayed at Armin's house for an extended period of time, so, while he knew that the house was full of books, he had never gotten the chance to see just how many there were. He was still learning to read, so he didn't know what the books were about, but he didn't mind. The idea of being able to read all those books and more someday excited him.

"Do you like books?" Armin asked as he joined the child at the bookcase.

The little boy nodded. "Papa likes books, too, so I wanna read a lot when I grow up."

"That's good," Annie said as she sat down on the nearby couch. "Reading makes you smart. Maybe you'll grow up to be smarter than Uncle Armin."

The child giggled. "No way, nobody's smarter than Uncle Armin!"

Armin smiled shyly and pulled one from the shelf. "Here, let me show you what's in this one."

Annie's eyes widened. "Is that-?"

A nod. "If you want to hide a tree, put it in a forest."

"Huh?" the little boy asked as he sat next to his uncle, who sat between his two guests on the couch.

Armin's smile turned into a full grin. "It means that, if you want to hide something, put it in a place where there are a bunch of other things like it. It's harder to find it that way because everything looks like it. And, well, I might not need to hide this now as much as I used to, but I still like keeping it to myself. Look, sweetheart." He flipped the book open to a random page and said, "It's full of descriptions of the outside world."

The little boy gasped and immediately leaned over to look at the illustrations that accompanied the text. They looked a little strange to him, so he said, "Read it to me!"

Armin did so, pointing to the words as he read them so the child could follow along. "Fields of hot sand under a scorching sun. Strange plants that don't need rain to survive. Fire water, which turns into new land when it cools. Land made entirely of ice. Trees so tall they dwarf the Titans, where rain falls multiple times a day. Millions upon billions of different kinds of animals, ranging from the tiniest insects to creatures so big the Titans could be prey to them. Walls naturally made from rock. Mountains that touch the sky. Bodies of salt water so huge they can never be depleted."

"Wait, what?" the child interrupted, raising a brow. "That sounds silly, Uncle Armin."

"And everything else doesn't?"

Silence.

"Apparently, it's called the 'ocean'," the blond continued, turning back to the book. "Your daddy wants to see it more than anything else. Of course, he wants to see all of the outside world, but the ocean intrigues him the most."

The house was quiet for a long moment until the child looked up with a huge smile on his face. "Uncle Armin, do you have any paper and a pen? I want to draw pictures of the outside world!" He jumped down from the couch and bounced excitedly, his eyes full of joy and anticipation.

And Armin rushed to gather several sheets of blank paper and a new pen. They set the materials on the floor, where the child lay as he began to scribble. Armin and Annie sat next to him, the book open for all of them to see. They watched as the pictures slowly came to life, and they could see the boy's imagination running wild. He included all sorts of animals and plants with features neither adult had ever even considered. Annie especially found herself smiling the entire time, enchanted by what the child was envisioning.

"Tell us about them, little man," she encouraged, leaning over to look at his work. "What are you imagining?"

The child looked up at her and grinned. "The future."

_Uncle Connie and Aunt Sasha find the forests where it rains all the time. It's hot but they don't mind. Between all the different kinds of animals and plants, there's plenty of food and water everywhere. Brightly colored bugs crawl across the muddy ground. Different kinds of lizards and frogs jump across the streams of fresh, clean water. Birds fly above them, but they can't see the sky because the trees are so tall and have so many branches and leaves. They're sturdy enough to lie against though, so that's where Uncle Connie and Aunt Sasha sleep at night, when even more animals with glowing eyes come out. They make quiet noises that sound like a lot of songs playing at once. It's peaceful even though there's life all around them._

_Uncle Reiner and Uncle Bertoldt find the mountains that touch the sky. It's a very long climb to the top, but they make it, and, when they arrive, they can see everything. They're up so high that they can see the entire world stretched out before them. Below them is cooling fire water. It's hard to breathe, and it's very cold, but they're so happy. They're alone there, at the top of the world, just the two of them, so Uncle Bertholdt isn't nervous or embarrassed, and he holds Uncle Reiner's hand. He doesn't sweat._

_Aunt Ymir and Aunt Historia find the land of ice. It's slippery so they stand still. They see big animals covered in fur. The bears are white so they match the snow falling around them. There's still some water that hasn't frozen yet around them. They watch as animals other than fish jump out and slide on the ice. Birds that swim, not fly, jump into the water. The sky is gray, completely covered by thick clouds, but the sun still shines through. Even though humans don't live there, Aunt Ymir feels at home, like this is where she originally came from. Aunt Historia is very cold, bundled up in a heavy coat, but she's happy because she feels like they can create their own unique home out of the frost._

_Uncle Jean and Aunt Mikasa find the fields of sand. There seems to be nothing but sand all around them, and, no matter how far they run, they can't find anything else. But it's okay because they're not alone. Guardian Angel Marco guides them to special plants that have water inside them, and the insides of the plants can be eaten. Even though there seems to be nothing there, something is always there as a way to keep them alive. They can't see him, but Guardian Angel Marco is still very happy, because he sees the two of them eating and drinking together, and he says, "Thank you for always buying me a drink, now it's my turn to get one for you."_

_You guys find the walls made from rock. They're high up and a little scary, but they're all sorts of different colors and textures, so they look like paintings. There are different kinds of rocks, too. Some of them are so hard and shiny that nothing can break them while others are rough and bumpy and easy to break. The hard, shiny ones are really pretty, so you, Uncle Armin, make jewelry out of them and give them to Aunt Annie. She looks like a queen._

_They all go to different places, but they all come home eventually._

_They all return to the little houses by the ocean, where Daddy and Papa and I are waiting._

The child slept in the middle of the floor, hand still clutching the pen, his final masterpiece finished before him. Three figures, one very tall, one average height, and one very small, stood in front of a house next to water, all looking very happy. In four of the other pictures, there were duos standing in front of everything the child had described, also looking very happy. In one, there were three figures, two normal ones and one with a pair of wings.

Armin and Annie wiped the tears from their cheeks.

"…I don't know what to say," Annie murmured, picking up the picture of her and Armin standing on top of the rock wall. "Is this what he dreams about?"

Armin sighed and smiled knowingly. "No wonder Eren and Levi gave him the name they did."

Annie smiled back.

"Armin."

She leaned over and kissed him.

"Let's find the rock walls someday."

Armin's face was bright red, and his eyes were wide with awe and surprise, but he found the sense to nod vigorously and give a goofy smile. "Yes," he agreed, gently taking a free corner of the picture in his hands so they were holding it together. He then leaned over and kissed her back.

Eren and Levi picked their son up about an hour later, but the two blonds were reluctant to let him go. Eventually, Eren picked the child up in his big arms, careful not to disturb his slumber, and Armin handed the drawings to Levi, who was quite shocked to see Annie there but didn't say anything. In fact, she looked different. She looked…trustworthy.

Perhaps it was the touching smile spread across her face.

The next day, there were six new masterpieces hanging up in the Jaeger household kitchen.

END


	12. Present Story

Eren quickly closed the front door behind him and locked it, his breath still visible as he exhaled a sigh of relief at finally being inside. A bit reluctantly, he stripped off his heavy winter coat and accessories and placed them in the nearby closet. He then pulled a light jacket from the closet, slipped it on, and started rubbing his hands together to warm them.

Levi appeared in the doorway between the hallway and the kitchen. "All done?"

Eren nodded. "Yeah, all the firewood's chopped, but, oh my god, it's cold out there. I don't remember it being this cold this early last year. Looks like winter came early."

"But there isn't even any snooooooooow!" their son whined as he sat in front of the open stove in the kitchen, where dinner was cooking. He turned away from the fire and pouted at first but then smiled. "Daddy, your nose is red."

Eren nodded and smiled a bit, too. "Yeah, I figured as much." He rubbed his slightly warmed fingers against his numb nose and walked into the kitchen. The heat from the stove immediately warmed him, and his smile widened.

A cup of hot tea appeared in front of him, and he took it in his hands, loving the warmth radiating from it and the steam rising to his still-cold nose. He looked to the side and smiled as Levi stood on his tip-toes. That was Eren's cue to bend down, and Levi placed a kiss on his lips. "Thank you for chopping the wood," the shorter murmured as he broke the kiss, only to dive back in a second later. They only stopped when they heard a giggle. When they glanced down at their son, the child turned back towards the fire, cheeks pink and eyes sparkling.

* * *

Once dinner was finished and the remnants cleaned, Eren lit the fireplace in the living room, hoping to disperse some of the heat throughout the rest of the house. His son immediately sat in front of it, determined to have the best spot for the rest of the evening. Eren chuckled a bit at this. "You get cold awfully quickly for someone born in January."

"That has nothing to do with it, idiot," Levi groaned as he sat in one of the plush armchairs with a cup of hot tea. "Besides, we had a surprisingly mild winter that year, remember?"

"I wish we could go to the sand fields," the child suddenly sighed. "It's hot there."

Levi raised a brow at him. "How do you know? We don't even know if they actually exist."

"No, they exist. And they're hot because the plants have water inside them. That's the only reason they don't die."

"Wait," Eren interrupted, "who got to go to the sand fields in your pictures?"

"Uncle Jean, Aunt Mikasa, and Guardian Angel Marco."

"Why does Horse Face get to go there!"

"I swear to god, Eren, you're the baby in this family."

"Babies don't chop firewood! And why is Mikasa with him!"

"Because Uncle Jean looks at her the same way Aunt Annie looks at Uncle Armin."

The two adults stared down at their son, glanced at each other, and then looked back at him. "You notice that stuff?" Eren asked.

The child nodded. "He looks at her whenever the Survey Corps is out training, because it's the only time they're always in the same place. Don't you guys see it?"

Eren shook his head and sat down next to the boy. "Enough of that, I don't like the thought of Jean ogling my sister." He visibly shivered, more out of disgust than the cold, and held his hands out to the fire to warm them.

The little family sat just like that for a few quiet minutes until Levi finished his tea. He walked into the kitchen to clean his cup when he noticed how cold it was. "Weird," he murmured as he washed the cup and set it down to dry, "we just had a fire in here, and the heat from the fire in the living room should reach." Narrowing his eyes, he headed up the stairs to the second level and immediately shivered. Both the master bedroom and the child's bedroom were freezing cold. "Eren!" he called as he came back downstairs. "Eren, check the pipe near the fireplace! None of the house is getting any heat!"

"Huh?" Eren jumped up and did as instructed, inspecting the pipes that were supposed to transfer heat from the fireplace to the rest of the house, only to find a cracked opening. Sure enough, all the heat was escaping, warming the living room but nothing else. "Aw crap," he groaned, "this sucks."

"What?"

"A part of the pipe is busted! Ugh, it's too late to fix it, too, we barely have any light."

Levi rubbed the area between his eyes as he descended the rest of the staircase. "Okay, now what? Sleeping up there would be like sleeping outside, even if we piled the rest of the blankets on top of one another."

Their son frowned. "I don't wanna sleep in the cold."

Eren narrowed his eyes in thought until they suddenly burst open with an idea. "I've got it! We'll sleep down here tonight!"

He was met with two sets of dumbfounded eyes. "Wait, what?" his husband questioned, moving his hands so he was rubbing his temples. A headache was coming on. "And where exactly do you propose we sleep? There are no beds down here."

Eren shrugged. "We could make a bed out of our mattresses and sheets."

"You're really a brat, you know that?"

"I wanna do it!" the child in the middle of all this exclaimed, thrusting his hand up and grinning excitedly. "It'll be like a sleepover party! Oh, can we do it, Papa? Please?"

Oh crap. Even with nothing but the light coming from the fireplace, Levi could still see those big, green eyes staring at him, pleading and hoping and waiting and dammit, now Eren was looking at him the same way. Levi tried to stand his ground, he really did. He tried to keep his mouth frowning and his eyes narrowed and his body stiff and rigid. There was no way he was going to let the two people he loved and adored and spoiled more than anyone else in all of humanity have a slumber party in front of the fireplace on that freezing cold night.

…Right?

"Please, Papa?"

"Fine."

"Yay!" Eren and their son cheered together, rushing past Levi and up the stairs to gather their mattresses and sheets. Levi just leaned against the wall and hoped his now very prominent headache would go away.

But he couldn't help but smile a little as he watched his husband and son rush down the stairs with the needed supplies. Eren set the mattress from the master bedroom, which was king-sized and, therefore, big enough for all three of them, in front of the fireplace and then helped the child arrange the sheets and blankets. The child had also brought his favorite stuffed toy down with him, and he immediately dove under the covers with it as soon as Eren finished. Eren grinned at him and snuggled up, wrapping his big arms around him in a hug. The little boy giggled and looked up. "Come on, Papa!"

Levi's head hit the pillow, and his headache disappeared.

Eren grinned at him. "So glad you could join us."

"Yeah, yeah, but this is only for tonight, you two understand? We're fixing the pipe first thing tomorrow morning and remaking the beds and sleeping normally tomorrow night."

The child nodded. "Yup, I understand, Papa, thank you." He scooted over and snuggled up against Levi, who couldn't help but run his fingers across the boy's pink, chubby cheeks. He smiled when he heard sweet giggles. They had become one of his favorite sounds over the past few years, along with squeaky clean windows and floors, book pages turning, and Eren moaning (although he kept that last one to himself).

The three of them lay there quietly for a little while, basking in the warmth of the lit fireplace and the comfort of being together. The snap and crackle of the fire was soothing, and Eren found himself dozing off a bit. His eyelids were starting to get heavy, but he still kept his eyes on Levi, who seemed content and adorably happy. His gray eyes had turned a gorgeous hazel against the fire's orange and yellow flames, and Eren found himself falling even deeper in love with him, for that was something he had never noticed. With enough of the right light, Levi's eyes appeared hazel.

Fascinating.

"Papa," came a little voice between them.

Levi looked down. "What is it, baby?"

"What do you want for your birthday?"

Eren perked up a little at this, as he had also been wondering what his dear husband would want on that special day. Shopping for Levi's birthday was both easy and difficult. Easy because he could buy him a Christmas and birthday present during the same shopping trip but difficult because he was a difficult person to shop for in general. What in the world did Lance Corporal Levi need? What did he even  _want_?

He watched as Levi just smiled and pressed a kiss to their son's forehead. "The only thing I want," he murmured lovingly, "is to spend the day with my family, to cook and eat our Christmas dinner together, to play with you, and to see the joy on your face when you open your presents on Christmas morning."

Eren suddenly fell even deeper in love, not that he was complaining.

The child, however, seemed dissatisfied with the response. "But it's YOUR day, Papa. Even though it's also Christmas, it's your birthday. I wanna get you something."

Levi kissed his forehead again. "Don't worry about it, baby, but thank you."

"Besides, I don't think anything could quite top having you," Eren added with a grin.

"But I wasn't born on Christmas…"

"Meh, January's close enough."

Levi nodded. "We had bought the rocking chair about a week before Christmas anyway, so I counted that as a present. Like we told you, you would fall asleep every time we rocked you in it, so it ended up being the best present any new parents could ask for."

Eren laughed quietly. "Saved us from so many sleepless nights. Not that you cried too much anyway."

"Oh god," Levi suddenly groaned, rolling over onto his back, "if you had inherited your daddy's lungs, I don't know what I would have done. I swear, baby, you should have heard Daddy when he was a teenager, constantly yelling and screaming and throwing his 'I'M GONNA KILL THE TITAAAAAAAAAAANS' fits. He screamed more than most infants, I swear."

"I'm glad I didn't inherit Daddy's lungs."

"Me, too, baby."

"Hey!"

Both of them turned over onto their sides and grinned at Eren, who had a brow raised in skepticism, though his face quickly softened when Levi leaned over and kissed him.

When they separated, the child thought of something. "Hey, Daddy," he said, "what was the first present you ever got for Papa?"

Eren's face paled a bit, and Levi snorted, a smirk now gracing his features. He moved his arm up so his elbow was on the pillow and his head was leaning against the palm of his hand. "Go on, tell him," he urged his husband, his voice tinged with a bit of mockery.

The color returned to Eren's face twice over with his cheeks blushing pink. "It's the thought that counts, okay…"

_I was seriously stumped. I had no idea what to get for Levi's birthday, and I had less than twenty-four hours left to figure it out._

_The year had gone by so quickly with so many amazing things happening one after another that I didn't know how to finish it. What would be the grand finale to the year? I had turned eighteen, we had moved into our own private house together, and we had gotten married. All of that dwarfed a mere holiday, but this holiday was also Levi's birthday. More importantly, it was the first birthday we were going to celebrate as a married couple, so it had to be special. It had to be unique. It had to be memorable._

_Only I didn't have a lot of money. We had spent a lot on our wedding (even though it had been small) and our house, so things were a little tight. I contemplated this as I sat at the dining room table, the contents of my wallet spilled out in front of me. I certainly had enough to buy something nice, now it was just a matter of buying the right thing._

_Sighing, I put the money back into my wallet, put my winter coat on, and left the house. Levi was finishing up some last-minute work with Erwin, so chances were good he wouldn't be back until late that night. I was thankful I had some time to go out and shop, but a little ball of anxiety was starting to form in my stomach. What if I couldn't find anything? What if I got the wrong thing?_

_"Think, Eren, think," I muttered, burying my nose into my coat to keep it warm. What did Levi like? Clean stuff, definitely, but cleaning products as a gift seemed tasteless. Besides, Levi already had enough washcloths and buckets to fill an entire supply closet, and I didn't want to clean the house from top to bottom again since I had done that to propose to him. What else? Tea, definitely, but he was picky about it. If I went and bought the wrong kind, Levi would be unimpressed to put it politely. Books, oh yes, he liked books. Books weren't a bad idea, even though Levi could buy all the books he wanted on any given day._

_I started thinking about less obvious things. Jewelry? Levi had never been one for it, the evidence in his simple wedding ring and lack of jewelry elsewhere, but maybe he had just never seen anything he liked? I figured that nice clothes could be an okay option, too, but Levi already had a few rather expensive suits in his closet. I couldn't buy anything to decorate a room in the house since he liked bare, clean spaces. Food? No, he wasn't Sasha, he…_

_No, food._

_More specifically, drink._

_Alcohol? No, he wasn't much of a drinker, and he could buy that anywhere._

_There was something else._

_I looked up and realized that I had walked all the way to the gate leading to the fields between Wall Maria and Wall Rose._

_What I needed was only in Wall Sina. It would be expensive, yes, but it would be worth it, so I ran through the gate, waving to the Garrison soldiers as I passed, and began my quest._

* * *

_Levi did indeed come home late that night, only a few minutes until midnight. He looked exhausted and annoyed and stressed out, and my anxiety was building. I was still working on his present when he came through the door, so I pressed the gas and rushed to finish it as I heard him walk into the living room, where the tree was up and decorated. He seemed distracted by it, so took the moment to finish up and-_

_…PERFECT!_

_"Levi," I gasped as I ran into the room with a cup in my hands._

_He turned and raised a brow at me. "You're still up? I thought you would have gone to bed hours ago."_

_"I was gonna but, I swear, I was working on-"_

_The clock struck midnight._

_I let out a relieved sigh and allowed myself to relax. "I was working on your present," I finished calmly. "Happy Birthday, Levi, and Merry Christmas."_

_His eyes widened and little as he shifted his gaze down towards what I had in my hands. "What is…?"_

_"It's hot chocolate," I explained with a giddy grin. "I wanted to get something nice for you that we've never had, and you can only buy chocolate in Wall Sina, and, even then, it's still really expensive. But, oh my god, there's a whole story. So I went past Wall Maria and headed towards Wall Rose, but then I realized that it would take me a long time without a horse, so I started running. Eventually I got tired, and that was when I realized I should have taken the boat, so I ran back towards Wall Maria and got on a boat that was about to leave. It was all good and everything until the Garrison soldiers needed help docking since, I swear, they were drunk off their asses before the holiday had even started, so I helped them dock it, which took extra time. Then I had to run through the town in Wall Rose, and I kept getting stopped. First I helped an elderly couple carry their groceries to their house, then I climbed a tree to get a woman's cat back, then I helped a store owner break up the ice around his store so people wouldn't slip on it. Then, finally, I made it to the gate and passed some more drunk Garrison soldiers, and all I could think of was Hannes, so I started crying, but I still kept running. One of the soldiers who wasn't horribly drunk noticed me and said I could borrow his horse, so I did and I rode it into Wall Sina. Finally I was there so I ran around asking people where I could find chocolate, and there was only one shop still open in the entire area, so I ran to it and bought a whole pound, and it was expensive as all hell. It was okay though because I knew it would be worth it in the end! But then I realized that the horse had somehow gotten loose so I had to call it back, and it didn't come back for some time. Finally though, I found it and rode it back to Wall Rose. I went to give it back to the soldier, but he was gone, so I rode it all the way back to Wall Maria and gave it to the Garrison soldiers there, and, surprisingly enough, they had the sense in them to shelter it for the night. So then I ran back home, shaved the chocolate, mixed it with milk and a little bit of water because I wanted you to have a cup as soon as you came home, and then you came home, and now we're here!"_

_Silence. Levi stared at me for what seemed like forever. I grinned at him, probably looking really stupid and far too pleased with myself, but I couldn't help it. I was proud of myself! I had gone through all sorts of trials and tribulations to get a thoughtful present for him. This was a day of celebration! More than Christmas, it was my dear husband's birthday! Was it so wrong of me to want to do something more than a little nice? I just wanted a little acknowledgment for my effort, but he just kept staring at me._

_Until he sighed._

_"Dumbass."_

_"What?"_

_He smiled and shook his head sympathetically. "I used to steal chocolate from vendors in Wall Sina all the time during my underground days."_

_I felt my entire world crash around me. Everything I had done to make the present special…no, it wasn't a special present. Levi had tasted chocolate before, so this wasn't new or interesting in the slightest. Nope, this was old news._

_I had screwed up._

_"Eren."_

_He leaned up and kissed me._

_"But I never experienced anything like you did," he whispered against my lips. "All that and you were still determined to get it, huh? Because you wanted to do something nice for me. Heh, you'd suck as a thief, but you make a great husband."_

_"Levi…"_

_"I love it, you stupid brat, thank you."_

_He kissed me again before I could sat anything, and my heart felt light. I hadn't screwed up; I had done it! I was so happy at that moment, and I felt like maybe this whole marriage thing would work out. I felt him gently place his hands over mine, and I passed the cup to him as he settled himself. He took a little sip and smiled at me, the kind of smile that could end wars and cure any disease._

_"It's delicious."_

_I smiled back, still a bit embarrassed. "I'm glad. I love you."_

_"I love you, too. Merry Christmas, Eren."_

_"Happy Birthday, Levi."_

Between them, the child snored quietly, hugging his favorite plush toy to his chest. The fire had died down a little but still gave off enough heat to keep them warm. Eren reached out from underneath the covers, linked his fingers with Levi's, and placed their hands so they were resting on top of their son. Eren gently leaned over, careful not to wake the boy, and kissed Levi sweetly yet passionately.

"I really do love you," he whispered as he pulled away, "grumpy attitude, snarky sarcasm, cleaning obsession, and all."

"And I really love you, too," Levi whispered back, "stupid mind, excessive determination, overly healthy lungs, and all."

They settled back down and cuddled together, finally allowing their eyes to close.

"Good night, Levi."

"Good night, Eren."

And sleep took them.

Silence.

Their son's eyes opened, and he giggled quietly as he kissed his toy.

"Silly Daddy. Silly Papa."

And he finally allowed sleep to take him, too.

END


	13. Christmas Story, Part 1

"Ta-da!"

Eren jumped back from the Christmas tree in the living room and held his arms out towards it, showing it off to his little audience. Levi and their son stood across from it, both with their arms crossed and their heads tilted to the side. Eren kept the same pose as he waited for the two of them to speak, but it became difficult as the seconds ticked by, and his eyes began to shift back and forth between them and the tree. Why were they being so silent? Why weren't their expressions changing? Surely it wasn't that horrible! He could understand Levi not jumping for joy at the holiday decoration, but their son wasn't even reacting. What was going on?

_Tick, tock, tick, tock…_

Silence.

_Tick, tock, tick, tock…_

"…Levi?"

"Not bad."

That was when the little boy smiled wide and cheered, "That means it perfect in Papa speak!"

Eren exhaled all his worries and finally let himself relax, his hands dropping to his sides and a smile spreading across his face. He then joined his family so he could get a good look at the tree and nodded once. "Yup, pretty good if I do say so myself."

"Alright, don't get so full of it," his husband groaned, rolling his eyes and making his way towards the kitchen. "It's just a tree. It's gonna get chopped into firewood as soon as tomorrow is over."

Eren snorted and followed after him. "Man, you're just a big bundle of holiday cheer, aren't you?"

Their son ran after them both. "I have enough cheer to make up for it!"

"That you do, baby!" Eren agreed as he hoisted the little boy up into the air and spun him around a few times. The child squealed and thrust his hands out to mimic flight, his cheeks turning pink from giggling and the adrenaline rush. When Eren stopped and settled him on his hip he reached up and wrapped his arms tightly around his daddy's neck. Eren then placed a kiss on the boy's forehead and said, "You excited?"

The child nodded. "I can't wait. Everyone has fun on Christmas, but we have even more fun since it's Papa's birthday, too."

Levi smirked as he pulled the hot pot holding their dinner from the stove. Never in his life did he ever think his birthday would be an extra source of fun for anyone, including himself. Birthdays were indeed a cause for celebration in the Survey Corps, but the celebrations' meanings were usually more along the lines of "congratulations on not dying" rather than "yay, today is the anniversary of the day you were born." Aside from that even, Levi's birthday specifically had always been overshadowed by Christmas. Add to that the fact that he had never been the fun-loving type and, well, there went any plans for a party. His comrades and friends in the Survey Corps had stopped asking years ago.

His son, on the other hand, had never received that memo, but that was perfectly okay with him.

"You just remember that it's a day for all of us," he said as he stirred the thick, hearty stew. "It's nice that you want it to be a special, fun day for me, but it's for you and Daddy, too."

"Aw, Papa…"

"Here, try it." Levi filled a spoon full of the stew and gently blew on it to cool it down. He then brought it to his little boy's lips and tipped it slightly. The child swallowed all of it in one gulp, and his eyes lit up.

"There's meat in it!"

"Yup, since it's Christmas Eve. We'll have meat for dinner tomorrow, too."

"Yay! Thank you, Papa!"

Levi nodded, smiling lightly, and handed him a set of plates when Eren set him back down. "Go set the table so we can eat the rest of it."

"Hey, wait," Eren said, pouting slightly, "don't I get a taste?"

"Babies only."

"You always say I'm the real baby in this family!"

"Babies don't chop down Christmas trees."

"I just said that the other day and-!"

Levi suddenly shoved another large spoonful of stew into his husband's mouth, catching Eren off-guard. The younger blinked in surprise and quickly swallowed the hot food, wiping his mouth when Levi pulled the spoon away and smirked. "Fine, you big, dumb brat, happy now?"

Eren cleared his throat, licked the last of the gravy from his lips, and narrowed his eyes. "It's delicious but I'm not a fan of having even delicious things shoved down my throat."

"Oh please, all of humanity knows you love it."

Eren's eyes burst open, and he blushed bright red up to his ears.

"Daddy, what does-?"

"GO SET THE TABLE."

* * *

After dinner had been eaten and a rather awkward explanation had been avoided, Eren and Levi took their son upstairs, gave him a bath, and settled him into bed. The little boy snuggled up with his favorite stuffed toy and yawned as Eren tucked the thick blankets around him. The pipes had been repaired, so heat was traveling to the upper level of the house again, but it was still a little cold, so the heavy blankets had to stay on their beds. This didn't bother anybody in the Jaeger household though, as the little boy liked the weight of the covers on top of him and the cold gave Eren and Levi a great excuse to cuddle.

"Good night, sweet little baby," Eren whispered as he kissed his son's forehead, "sleep well. When you wake up tomorrow morning, there will be a pile of presents waiting for you under the tree."

The child grinned and wiggled underneath the covers. "Yay, thank you, Daddy. Will there be presents for you, too, Papa?"

Levi gave him a lazy smile. "Don't worry about me, baby, I already have everything I want."

The boy was going to protest, but he felt his eyelids get heavy, and they closed before he could say anything. Levi smirked at this and leaned over to plant his own kiss on his son's head. He and Eren then stood, walked out of the child's room, and headed down the stairs back to the living room, Eren holding a lit candle in one hand and Levi's hand in the other.

"He knows I don't have everything I want."

Eren looked down at his husband and frowned as he blew the candle out and set it on a shelf on top of the lit fireplace. Sighing, he wrapped his arms around Levi and held him close. The two were silent for a few long moments until Eren spoke. "Someday you will."

"You want it, too," Levi muttered back. "A free world without Titans, that's what we all want, but that's not something we can just wrap up and put underneath a tree."

Eren sighed heavily. "No, but…we come closer to that goal every year."

Now it was Levi's turn to sigh. "How many more? How many more people have to die before we win? How many more soldiers need to sacrifice their lives? How many more civilians need to be killed? I'm sick of this, Eren, I'm so damn sick of this. I'm sick of losing comrades and friends and loved ones. This time of year is supposed to be a time of togetherness and joy, but all I can think about is how so many people we love aren't here with us. Petra and Auruo and Eld and Gunther and Mike and your mother and your friend Hannes and Jean's friend Marco and even Ilse and-!"

Eren suddenly pulled Levi into a rough kiss, his lips and tongue and mouth swallowing all the pain and sadness, and Levi couldn't stop the tear that ran down his face. He grasped Eren's collar and kissed back forcefully, determined to drown in his husband's love. Anything to keep from falling into the dark void of loneliness and despair.

He couldn't believe how emotional he was. If his lost friends could see him now, what would they say? What would they think of their stoical, strict, disciplined lance corporal crying and passionately kissing his husband, a man who was once a naive, hot-headed, unpredictable boy? Hell, what would they say or think if they knew he had fallen in love with Eren at all?

But then he remembered he probably wouldn't have if they had survived, and the memories started reappearing in his mind.

_"No way, you little brat, there's no way in hell I'm losing you, too. No, no, I've already lost damn near everyone who ever meant anything to me. I'm not losing you on top of all of them! Dammit, Eren, you're all I have left in this world, so don't you dare die on me. Come on, your Titan powers have to be healing you, they just have to. Dammit, Eren, dammit, dammit, DAMMIT, EREN JAEGER, I-!"_

"Levi!"

It was only when Eren called his name that Levi realized he had broken their kiss. Levi panted heavily, cheeks flushed and eyes red, and he wiped the wetness away from his face. "Sorry, I…"

"I don't think they'd be happy knowing you torture yourself so much."

Levi didn't say anything.

Suddenly Eren began gently rocking the two of them from side to side, soon allowing his feet to move a bit across the floor. Levi joined him, knowing that his husband just wanted to make him feel better. Yes, Eren wasn't a good dancer, but his heart was in the right place, and that was all Levi needed. He actually felt himself feeling better as he moved his feet and ran Eren's words through his head. No, his friends wouldn't be happy if they knew he was constantly beating himself up over their deaths. If things had been the other way around, he wouldn't want his squad forever mourning him when they had the rest of their lives to live.

And Levi did have a life to live, a life that involved a loving husband and a little bundle of joy.

"Remember the last time we danced in front of a Christmas tree?" Eren suddenly asked quietly, a peaceful smile on his handsome face. His skin glowed gold against the fireplace's light, and Levi resisted the urge to sink his teeth into his delicious-looking neck. That was a better thought, when had the stupid brat become such a gorgeous man?

Levi snorted in response. "It was at that ridiculous Christmas/birthday party you dragged me to. I don't think it was much of a dance though. You still sucked at the time, and I was about ready to burst."

"Heh, I think we made it work."

_Levi sat in one of the chairs lining the walls of the rented dance hall Eren had reserved for his birthday party that evening. It was still December 24th, but Levi didn't mind, as he knew that their friends wouldn't want to spend their Christmas celebrating someone's birthday. In fact, Levi didn't care much for this party at all, evident in the frown on his lips and the unamused look in his eye. He watched as his friends and comrades talked and laughed and joked and danced with each other, and he felt anything but festive. The reason why was a bit obvious to all but one._

_"Hey, Levi," Eren said as he sat down next to his husband, "why so down, hmm? Wanna dance with me?"_

_Levi turned his head and glared at the younger, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back in his chair. The damn thing wasn't comfortable in the slightest. "Eren Jaeger, I am eight months pregnant with your spawn who won't stop kicking me, causing serious pain to my overworked back and swollen feet. No, dumbass, I don't want to dance with you. I want you to kneel in front of me so I can kick you in the face and then go home."_

_Eren offered him a sympathetic smile, leaning over to kiss his temple sweetly. "I'm sorry, I just wanted to do something nice for you since we'll be busy once the baby arrives. I wanted to spend some time with you and our friends."_

_Levi sighed heavily and let his face relax. He didn't protest when Eren scooted closer to him and wrapped an arm around his shoulder, bringing him close. He actually enjoyed it, and the thought of Eren constantly thinking about him made him a little less cranky. Yes, the younger had guessed wrong on so many levels as to what "something nice" for him would be, but that was besides the point. Eren thought about him and his happiness, and, especially at this point when his discomfort heavily outweighed his excitement, that was enough. At least his husband had tried._

_"You did something nice enough when you bought the rocking chair last week, but, oh well, your friends seem happy," the older sighed, finally finding a comfortable position in leaning against Eren's chest._

_"Are you happy right now?"_

_"As happy as I can be given the circumstances."_

_They sat quietly in their own little world for a few minutes, just watching everyone else have fun. Levi scanned the room and tried to think about other little things that could lift his mood. The music wasn't too loud, so he didn't have to shout for Eren to hear him, that was a plus. Sasha hadn't eaten everything on the snack table, that was good. Bertholdt was sweating buckets at Reiner trying to drag him out to the dance floor, that was funny. He had survived another year in the Survey Corps and was going to have a baby with the love of his life in about a month._

_Yeah, that was nice._

_"Ah, so here's where the man of the hour is hiding!"_

_Levi snapped out of his daydream and glanced upwards, his frown deepening. "What do you want, Ymir?"_

_"Ah, not much, just wanted to say congrats. You know, on the birthday thing and the Christmas thing and the getting pregnant thing, all that stuff." She sat down in the other free chair on Levi's side opposite Eren and grinned. "Actually, that last one's kind of a big deal. First dude ever to get pregnant in recorded history and by a Titan-shifter, no less! Hanji must be all over you."_

_Levi groaned. "Four-Eyes and I have an agreement. She can observe all she wants, but she can't touch. Same goes for after the kid is born."_

_Ymir nodded, actually quite interested. "She gonna be there when the kid comes out? Bet she's been begging you to be."_

_Levi suddenly turned away from her, curling into Eren's arms, and shot her a nasty look. "It's none of your business. Go away."_

_The woman didn't seem fazed in the slightest at his reaction. She just nodded and stood. "Hey, you guys deserve your privacy and whatever, and I respect that. Gotta say though, I'm interested, too. Even I don't know about any of this crap."_

_Eren raised a brow. "What, you wanna know if you could have a child with Historia?"_

_Ymir shrugged. "It's crossed my mind, but we just got married last summer. I wanna enjoy my little goddess for a while before a screaming kid shows up."_

_"Did you not hear me, you ancient freak?" Levi suddenly interrupted. "Go away."_

_"Eh, alright, you win," Ymir sighed, shoving her hands in her pockets. "I might as well get a jump on things and enjoy my little goddess right now. See you around. Try not to go into labor during the party, that would be awkward." And she headed off to find Historia in the crowd._

_Levi shifted and buried his face in Eren's chest. "Does she always have to be such a pain in the ass?"_

_Eren shrugged and sighed, rubbing his husband's arm soothingly. "Don't worry about her, she's harmless. And you know that, if we were suddenly attacked, she'd be the first one to transform to protect all of us."_

_Levi couldn't deny that._

_Suddenly the music changed, becoming much softer and slower. Couples were starting to come together on the dance floor, swaying and turning and occasionally twirling to the romantic, easy going beat. Levi exhaled heavily through his nose and gripped Eren's hand as he straightened. "Come on, help me stand."_

_"Wha-?"_

_"You want to dance, right? This is more my speed right now."_

_Eren could hardly believe his ears, and a bright smile spread across his face. He immediately stood and helped Levi find his balance. Once his husband was on his feet, he guided him to the dance floor to a spot right across from the Christmas tree and wrapped one arm around his waist. Levi placed one of his hands on Eren's chest and intertwined their free ones. After a moment to steady themselves, they began slowly moving their feet to the music. When Eren tried to pull his husband closer, they both laughed quietly._

_"There's a little someone in the way," Levi murmured, a smile returning to his face._

_The younger smiled back. "I don't mind but I can't wait to give you proper hugs again."_

_Levi was quiet for a few seconds. "Can you feel it?" he finally asked._

_"Yeah," Eren whispered, leaning over and kissing the top of the shorter's head, "it's kicking."_

_"…Eren?"_

_"Yeah?"_

_"I'm really excited."_

_Another kiss. "I'm really excited, too."_

_The clock sitting in the corner of the dance hall struck midnight._

_"Happy birthday, Levi."_

_"Merry Christmas, Eren."_

The clock sitting in the living room suddenly chimed. Eren and Levi immediately snapped out of their memories and simultaneously looked at it, their eyes widening. It was 11:00 PM.

"I didn't realize it was that late," Eren said.

Levi shrugged, resting his head against Eren's chest. "Why, do you need to rush into Wall Sina to get me a cup of hot chocolate?" he snickered as he stood on his tip-toes to get a good look at the younger's blushing face.

Eren shut his eyes and tried to fight the pink on his cheeks. "Dammit, Levi, what's with you embarrassing me today?"

"Just teasing you because I can," came the reply.

Eren sighed, knowing he had lost. Instead of trying to come up with a snappy comeback and risking even more embarrassment, he leaned over so he could plant a kiss on his husband's lips. Levi raised himself as high as he could go and smirked as soon as Eren got close enough.

"We have company."

Without moving their heads, both glanced at the entranceway to the living room where, sure enough, a set of big, green eyes was watching them in pure delight. The little boy giggled and held his favorite plush toy up in front of his face as if to hide himself. Both Levi and Eren smirked at this.

"What's up, baby, did you have a nightmare?" Eren asked, lips brushing against Levi's.

"No," the child giggled.

"Go back to bed then," Levi said gently yet firmly, a smirk still playing on his face. "If babies don't sleep, they don't get presents. It doesn't matter how good they've been."

The little boy let out an "eep!" and rushed back up the stairs. "Good night, Daddy! Good night, Papa!" he called as he ran into his room and shut the door. He was quiet for the rest of the night.

Eren and Levi glanced back at each other, laughing quietly and finally kissing again. This time, it was sweet and romantic and full of love. Much better than forceful and desperate and full of angst.

After a few more kisses, they pulled away and separated so they could put the presents under the tree and go to bed. When their son ran into their room and woke them the next morning, the family realized that snow had fallen the night before, bringing smiles to all their faces. Levi in particular felt a sort of hopeful anticipation he had never felt before, and it bloomed into full-blown holiday cheer when he saw the look of joy on his son's face as he unwrapped his presents. That was the best gift he could ever receive, and he thought that, if he got that every year, then maybe his birthday would be worth celebrating after all.

TO BE CONTINUED


	14. Christmas Story, Part 2

"Oh my god, Levi, c'mere, you have to see this."

Levi pulled a bag out of the cabinet in the kitchen and set it down on the counter before following his husband's voice to meet him in the doorway to the living room. Eren had a goofy grin on his face as he indicated the little boy sleeping in the middle of the floor, surrounded by open boxes and new toys. He looked as though he had fallen over suddenly, with his cheek squished against the floor and his arms and legs stretched out around him. A small line of drool dribbled from his mouth, and faint circles were visible under his eyes. Eren had to clasp his hand over his mouth to keep from laughing and cooing over how adorable their son was and, moreover, waking him up. Even Levi couldn't handle the scene, and he wrapped his arms around his own waist to keep his composure as he tried to fight the smile spreading across his face.

"Poor thing had a little too much fun," Eren said as he pulled his hand away, trying to keep his voice low.

Levi shook his head, amused. "He did wake us up at the crack of dawn. Must have used up all his energy. Ah well, it's getting close to his usual nap time anyway." He gently picked the little boy up in his arms and carried him up the stairs. The movement roused the child from his sleep.

"Papa…?"

"Shh, baby, it's nap time."

"Noooooooo," the little boy whined softly, burying his face into Levi's shoulder, "it's Christmas, I don't wanna nap…."

"It'll still be Christmas when you wake up, I promise. I don't want you falling asleep in your dinner." He settled the child down in his bed, gave him his favorite stuffed toy, brought the quilts over him, and continued, "You've had a busy day so far. You opened presents, ate a big breakfast, played with your new toys, played the snow, played with your new toys some more…it's time for a break. I'll come wake you so you can play some more later, okay? Have a nice nap." He placed a kiss on the child's forehead, and the boy was asleep before he could protest.

Levi smirked and headed back downstairs to see Eren putting the toys away in their boxes and neatly lining them up against the tree. When he was done, he turned to his husband and grinned. "I think we did okay this year. A new set of building blocks, wooden carts and cargo to go along with his toy soldiers set, new clothes for his rag dolls, a new pair of winter mittens, and a new winter hat. As you'd say, not bad."

The shorter nodded. "He seemed happy. He never stopped playing until you found him sleeping."

Eren laughed quietly and his grin turned into a sweet smile. "And how about you?"

Now it was Levi's turn to laugh quietly. "I'm glad you went the simple route this year and just got tea. Tell me, did you go on an adventure throughout all of humanity's territory to get it?"

Eren rolled his eyes. "For your information, no, though I did go all the way into Wall Sina to get you the good stuff."

"I know and it's delicious, thank you." The smaller stood on his tiptoes, and Eren leaned down so they could share a kiss. Levi pulled away first. "You like yours?"

The taller nodded and held up the metal chain holding his basement key. "I love it. The rope was starting to fall apart, so this is perfect. Thank you." And he kissed his husband again. Even though they had made it into his father's basement years ago, Eren still held onto the key to remember everything they had fought for and as a constant reminder of their goal, although that goal had changed slightly over time. He had once just wanted to explore the outside world; now he wanted to live in and explore that outside world with his beloved family and friends, together in their own little settlement of free people.

Levi pulled away again and smiled slightly. "Good. Now let me go, I need to bake." He detached himself from his husband and walked back into the kitchen. Eren followed and watched as he opened the bag he had pulled from the cabinet. When he saw what was inside, his eyes widened.

"Is that…?"

"Sugar? Yes. You're not the only one who ventured into Wall Sina this season."

"But that must have cost a fortune!"

"I've been saving up. I'm going to bake Christmas cookies with some and then use the rest to bake a birthday cake."

"For-!"

"Not for me. In case you forgot, our son has a birthday coming up. The cake will be for him."

Eren's face softened into one of sentiment, and he could feel tears start to prick at the corners of his eyes. Letting out a shaky sigh, he leaned back against the kitchen wall. "Wow, he's another year older already. Sheesh, it feels like he was born just yesterday."

"Don't even start," Levi snapped gently, pouring the sugar and other ingredients into a mixing bowl. "He's growing up so fast I can barely keep up. I swear, I'm gonna wake up one morning, and he's gonna be a grown man moving out into his own place. Ah crap, now I'm starting." He wiped his eyes with his shirt sleeve, shook his head a little, and tried to focus on the task at hand.

Eren smiled warmly, walked up behind his husband, and gently wrapped his arms around him. Levi allowed himself to lean back into Eren's big, warm body, and he immediately felt comforted. No, their son wouldn't just suddenly turn into an adult, but it sure did feel like the time had passed in the blink of an eye.

"He was the best gift ever," Eren murmured against Levi's ear, causing the smaller man to shiver. Eren felt this, smiled, and ran his hands down Levi's sides. When he reached the hem of his shirt, he slipped his warm, thick, gentle fingers underneath the fabric and caressed the taught muscles underneath. "You were so incredibly gorgeous when you were pregnant."

"Oh please," Levi deadpanned, trying to resist his husband's touches as he mixed the batter, "I was constantly sick and in pain."

"Yeah, but it was for a good reason, you have to admit," Eren argued back, his hands lifting Levi's shirt and traveling up to his chest. "It's not like there was no point to it. Our son was growing inside you, and you were doing so much for him. You fed him and kept him warm and carried him with you wherever you went. You had always been known for killing, so, when I got to witness you giving life, oh my god, I couldn't keep my hands off you. You were beautiful and gorgeous and sexy, and you  _glowed_ , Levi, you really did. You were even more beautiful pregnant than you were on our wedding day, at least to me." He paused to press kisses along his husband's neck and jaw.

That neck and that jaw were burning bright red with a blush that had traveled all the way down from Levi's cheeks. His heart pounded rapidly in his chest. His legs suddenly felt weak, causing him to fall even deeper into Eren's embrace. His hands trembled slightly as he set the mixing bowl down on the counter, and, with the last of his composure, he brought them to his face in an attempt to hide how flustered he was. Since when did Eren speak like that, showering him with so much praise and love and worship, and since when did Levi let Eren's words affect him in such a way at all?! Eren had learned all his weak spots over the years, both physical and emotional, and he was the only person who could make him melt. He was the only person Levi trusted to make him melt.

It was all so hot. Eren was so hot.

It took everything Levi had to pull himself back together, but he eventually found his strength and balanced himself back on his feet, breaking away from Eren and fixing his shirt. "Enough," he murmured as he started scooping the cookie dough onto a baking tray. "Keep your pants on, it's the middle of the afternoon."

"Aw," Eren sighed, "I was hoping you'd want your second gift now."

"I can wait until tonight, and we're gonna do it on my terms anyway. It's my birthday, remember." Levi shot his husband a playful glare as he set the filled baking tray in the oven.

The smile returned to Eren's face. "Wow, cookies, huh? I can't remember the last time I had a real pastry. Heh, you may call me a brat, but you're the one spoiling our son rotten."

Levi raised a brow. "It's my birthday and I can do what I want."

Eren's smile turned into a grin at that. There was that side of Levi he loved again, the side that would do anything to see their son happy.

"You've been like that every Christmas since he was born," the taller murmured, wrapping his arms around Levi in a loving embrace, and the shorter immediately relaxed. This was different than the sexual touches earlier, and Levi welcomed it. Eren noticed this and placed a kiss on the top of his head. "Remember his first Christmas?"

Levi nodded, sighing through his nose and smiling lightly.

_Eren awoke to the sound of baby cries coming from the nursery across the hall from his and Levi's master bedroom. He yawned and stretched as he sat up, careful not to wake his husband. Luckily, Levi continued to sleep peacefully, face buried in pillows and body wrapped in thick, fluffy blankets. Eren smiled, stood, and headed into their son's room, where the little boy was rolling around in his crib and whining for attention._

_"Hey, hey, good morning, baby, Merry Christmas," Eren said quietly as he pulled the boy into his arms. The eleven-month-old baby gave him a big, toothless smile and squealed, reaching up to smack his little hands against the man's face. Eren took one of the hands in his and pressed a kiss to it, gazing down at his baby with loving eyes. "Let's go downstairs and make breakfast for Papa, shall we? It's his birthday, you know."_

_Once the baby's diaper had been changed and he had been dressed in a warm, long-sleeved onesie, Eren carried him downstairs and brought him in front of the Christmas tree. The child's eyes widened at the ribbon decorations and the pile of boxes underneath it. Eren kissed his cheek. "Look at all those presents, baby, they're all for you, every single one of them. We'll open them when Papa wakes up."_

_"Then get to it."_

_Eren turned to see Levi trudging down the stairs, one hand holding onto the rail and the other one covering his yawning mouth. Eren frowned. "Aw, I wanted to surprise you with breakfast."_

_"It's okay, I'll cook."_

_"But it's your birthday!"_

_"So what? I had one last year. But this little one…" He gently took their son from Eren's arms and gave him a hug and a kiss. "This is this one's first Christmas. Today, it's all about him."_

_Eren couldn't argue with that, so Levi cooked breakfast while Eren fed spoonfuls of mashed vegetables to their little boy. Levi didn't even mind that the child's face was a mess by the time the meal was done, although he was pretty sure more food was on the baby's face than in his stomach. Still, he could let it go for the day. With a smile, he set two breakfast plates down on the table and wiped his son's face. The child replied with a big smile and a few claps of his hands._

_When breakfast was done, the family ventured back into the living room and sat around the tree. One at a time, Eren and Levi helped their son open his presents, revealing everything from new clothes to fun toys to the softest blanket either one had ever felt. But the child's favorite gift was a pair of socks Mikasa had made him. They were warm and thick, and, when Eren slipped them on his little feet, the child squealed and giggled and grabbed at them excitedly. Levi and Eren both melted at the sight, Eren more visibly than Levi, but the older's heart beat rapidly and joyfully at the thought of his baby so happy. His birthday was nothing special; he had had plenty before. But his son's first Christmas? That was of the utmost importance._

_Levi reached out and gently cupped the baby's chubby face. The child finally left his socked feet alone to grasp at his hand, making breathy cooing noises as he gripped each finger. Without a warning, Levi scooped him up into his lap and settled him between his crossed legs. The baby squealed and clapped his hands again._

_Eren smiled at him. "I can't believe he hasn't always been here with us. It's amazing what can happen in a year." He crawled over to the two of them and kissed their son's nose, giggling a bit with him. "Wow," he eventually continued, matching green eyes staring back at one another, "I can't believe he was inside you a year ago."_

_Levi smirked. "Trust me, I have a hard time believing it, too."_

_Eren glanced up at him, still smiling, and pressed his ear against his son's chest. "I remember, on Christmas Day last year, after we got home from your Christmas/birthday party, you sat in the big armchair to rest your feet, and I knelt in front of you and pressed my ear to your belly and just listened to his heartbeat and felt him moving around and…oh my god, Levi, it was one of the most amazing things ever. I'm surprised we didn't fall asleep like that."_

_Levi rolled his eyes but kept smirking. "Yeah, because I smacked you upside the head and ordered you to carry me to bed."_

_Eren laughed as their son started wiggling against his cheek and tugging on his chocolate brown hair. "Yeah, you did," he agreed, pulling himself up and placing a kiss on Levi's lips. "Are you happy?" he asked, pulling away slightly._

_Levi nodded. "This is the happiest I've ever been."_

_"Good." Another kiss. "I love you, Levi, happy birthday."_

_"I love you, too, Eren, Merry Christmas."_

_Their son just reached down to pull at his socked feet and squealed again._

Levi pulled away from Eren when the delicious smell of freshly baked cookies reached his nose. Still smiling, he pulled the tray from the oven and set the treats out to cool, Eren watching with joyous anticipation at getting to eat something sugary sweet for the first time in forever. As Levi placed each one on a plate, little footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs.

"Papa…? Daddy…?"

Both of them turned to see their son rubbing his eyes and holding his friendly Titan stuffed toy. Levi sighed at him. "Baby, I told you I'd come get you when your nap was over."

"Sorry," the boy mumbled, "I just smelled something real good."

Eren laughed. "I don't blame you at all, baby."

Levi rolled his eyes and took a cookie off the tray. "Okay, here you go, you get to try them first." He placed the pastry in his son's hand and watched as he bit off a piece. Instantly, his eyes widened with alertness, and a smile spread across his face. He quickly shoved the rest of it in his mouth, and Levi shook his head out of amusement. "It's good then, I guess?"

"It's delicious, Papa!" the boy praised. "It's sweet but not like fruit sweet!"

Levi nodded. "Yup, we'll have the rest after dinner."

"Yay!"

And the rest of the afternoon continued with more playing, both inside and out, and a delicious holiday feast. Only half an hour after finishing his dessert, the boy fell asleep in the middle of the floor again, and Eren and Levi tucked him into bed for the night. They didn't go to bed right away afterwards though. They stood together in front of the Christmas tree for a little while, admiring it together, and Levi decided that "the stupid, big-ass tree" could stay up for another day or so. Eren's heart leapt with joy at hearing that, so he carried his dear husband upstairs to their bedroom and thanked him, loved him, and celebrated him in the sweetest of ways.

Levi just hoped he'd get the other present he really wanted out of it.


	15. Marriage Story

"THINK FAST, BABY!"

Eren's little son, who was standing near the front door of the Jaeger family household, immediately turned and ducked, his reflexes surprisingly quick for a child his age. Eren's snowball flew through the air and was all set to land on the front door when Levi suddenly opened it to step outside.

_Splat!_

The snowball smacked Levi's right cheek.

The world went silent and still for a few moments, Eren and their son keeping their wide eyes on Levi and their most recently inhaled breaths in their lungs. Levi just stood there, somewhat in a state of shock, his own eyes quite wide as well. Suddenly his head turned, and he stared directly at Eren, the younger letting out a terrified squeak and jumping back.

Levi moved so fast that Eren barely realized he had moved at all before a thick layer of white obscured his vision. Their son burst out laughing, and Eren wiped the snow from his face to see Levi smirking and making another snowball. Eren moved quickly to make his own, but Levi's hit his side first. Eren retaliated with another hitting right in the middle of Levi's chest. Before either one knew it, they had started their very own snowball fight, their son cheering on the sidelines.

At one point, Eren threw a snowball a little too hard, and it went flying over Levi's head. They both watched as it landed on someone's back, and that someone jumped and turned out of fright. Eren gasped and called out, "Sorry, Reiner! I didn't mean it!"

When the blond saw who it was, he just shrugged and smiled. "No worries, it just surprised me is all."

"Hi, Uncle Reiner! Happy New Year!"

"Hi, little buddy, Happy New Year. You keeping an eye on your daddy and papa?"

The child nodded. "Daddy's having bad luck with snow today. He hit Papa earlier."

Reiner laughed. "I'm guessing that's how the war started."

"Yup!"

Reiner laughed again. "Sounds like fun. Alright then, I want in on some of this action!" He quickly bent down, made a snowball, and threw it at Levi. It hit the shorter man in the shoulder, and his eyes widened momentarily before he bent down to make his own in retaliation. By the time he had, Reiner was laughing hysterically and had joined Eren's side. The two of them made their own snowballs and threw them at Levi, but both hit poor Bertholdt just as he stopped to ask Levi what was going on. The tallest of the four men jumped up and let out a loud "EEP!" as the cold slush ran down his cheek.

"Oh my god," Levi deadpanned, "you're already sweating so much that the snow is melting off your face."

Bertholdt blushed bright pink and wiped the snow away. "That was mean, guys," he said, sounding a little betrayed, "I was unprepared."

"And why the hell did you hit me, Reiner?" Levi asked, turning back to the blond. "The brat was the one who hit you."

Reiner shrugged. "I dunno, you were the easier target?"

"Brats. Every single one of you."

"Okay, snowball fight over!" the little boy suddenly announced, running to stand between the adults and holding his arms out. "It stopped being fun. When the game stops being fun, you stop playing. We gotta play something else now!" He turned to Eren. "Right, Daddy? When something's not fun anymore, you stop."

Eren gave him a soft smile. "Yes, that's right, baby, very good."

The child relaxed his arms and ran to the tallest of the four adults. "Do you wanna build a snowman with me, Uncle Bertholdt?"

The brunet finally smiled back and pat the boy's head. "Yes, that sounds like fun, little buddy."

Levi sighed. "I was originally coming outside to bring you inside. Your room needs to be cleaned today, young man."

"Aw, Papa…"

Levi suddenly smiled in an almost frightening passive-aggressive way. "That was my original reason. But now Daddy can do it since he hit me in the face with a snowball."

Eren's face fell into one of shock and disappointment. "Oh, come on, you fought back!"

Levi's eyes narrowed and Eren audibly gulped. Levi looked like he was about to kill someone, and he only used that face when he meant  _business_. Eren yelped and quickly ran inside, tripping on his own boots as he tried to shuffle out of them and grab the cleaning supplies from the closet.

Levi's passive-aggressive smile returned. "Sorry to spring this on you so suddenly, but, if it isn't a problem, would you two keep an eye on the kid while Eren and I tidy up? It shouldn't be too long."

A bead of sweat rolled down Bertholdt's face. "Uh…no problem."

"Thank you."

And, with that, Levi walked back inside.

The trio outside was quiet for a few seconds until Reiner said, "Damn, Connie was right, Eren can't do a thing without the wife's approval."

"I like it," the little boy said as he crouched down to make a starter snowball. "I don't have to clean my room now."

The blond burst out laughing again. "Atta boy!"

Soon the three of them were rolling the starter snowball, packing extra layers onto it, and watching it grow. Once the base was a good, sturdy size, they set it in an open space and manually packed more layers onto it. Eventually Reiner began making the middle section, and the trio stacked it on top of the first one.

They continued like this until the basic shape was done. "It looks good," Reiner said, taking a step back to observe their hard work. "Now all we need to do is dress it."

Bertholdt noticed that the child was starting to take his hat and scarf off. "Oh no, little buddy, don't take your winter clothes off. Your daddy and papa would be so sad if you caught a cold."

"But I don't wanna go inside while Daddy and Papa are cleaning," the child explained. "If I track snow in the house, Papa will make me clean it up. Besides, Uncle Bertholdt, you're not wearing a lot of winter clothes. Aren't you cold?"

"You don't need to worry about Uncle Bertholdt," Reiner interrupted. "His body temperature is very high, so he doesn't get cold in the winter like most people do. It's just something special about him." He smiled sweetly and walked off the front lawn. "I'll head back to our place and get a spare hat and scarf for the snowman. Why don't you guys get some sticks and rocks so he can have a face and arms?"

The boy nodded and waved as Reiner left. Bertholdt quickly broke two branches off a nearby tree and stuck them into the snowman's sides. He had managed to grow even taller than Eren had over the years, having two inches on him at 6'7", although his growth spurt had been nowhere near as dramatic. Still, he towered over nearly everyone, including Reiner, who was two inches shorter than Eren at 6'3". The little boy watched him in awe as he effortlessly reached up into the tree, and he smiled shyly as he plucked the thin branches. Compared to the child, who was small for his age (everyone had the feeling that he had inherited Levi's shortness gene, although, like so many other things, no one said a word about it), Bertholdt really did look like a giant.

He really did look like a Titan.

"Hey, Uncle Bertholdt?"

"Yes?"

"Are you and Uncle Reiner ever going to get married?"

Bertholdt had never sweated through multiple layers of clothing so fast in his entire life. His entire face lit up bright red, his eyes went wide, and his bottom lip trembled as a somewhat inhuman-sounding noise rose from his throat. He spluttered wildly, unable to form human speech as he tripped on his own feet and fell backwards into the snow.

The little boy immediately ran to his side. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare you!"

After a few deep breaths, the man finally calmed down enough to speak semi-normally. His voice was still unsteady though. "It's okay, little buddy, I know, you just surprised me. I wasn't expecting that."

The child frowned. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to. We can talk about something else. It's just that I once heard Uncle Connie say that you guys have been dating since before I was born, so I thought…"

"And we have!" Bertholdt said a little too quickly, waving his hands in front of him and bringing his knees to his chest in a defensive position. "It's just that…oh, it's complicated. Um, the idea of getting married makes me really nervous."

"Do you think Uncle Reiner won't be a good husband?"

"Oh no! Uncle Reiner would be a great husband! I just…" He trailed off and frowned, the bright red blush still staining his cheeks. His sweat-soaked shirt was suddenly very uncomfortable. "I guess I just…don't see why he would want to marry me."

The child was quiet for a long moment. "…Do you think  _you_  won't be a good husband?"

Bertholdt bit his lip. "Something like that. I don't really think that I'm…good enough for Uncle Reiner."

He suddenly felt a pair of little arms wrap around his chest. "You're good, Uncle Bertholdt," the little boy murmured, ignoring the sweaty clothing. "If Uncle Reiner didn't think you were good, he wouldn't still be with you. You know, when Uncle Connie and Aunt Sasha got married, I could tell he wanted to dance with you, but you didn't want to. But he looked like he was happy just being close to you. I think he loves you very much."

Bertholdt wanted to cry. He gently placed a large hand on the boy's head and stroked his silky hair, feeling a horribly heavy weight press into his chest. This boy thought he was good. He really, truly, honestly thought he was a good person. His innocence was the most precious thing Bertholdt had seen in a long time. After returning to humanity's side, he, Reiner, and Annie had been put on a sort of probation, so they were constantly monitored, and they knew that, if they made even the slightest move against humanity, they'd all be put to death immediately. He had forgotten what it felt like to have people trust him, as even his closest friends from inside the Walls still looked at him like he was their enemy sometimes.

But this little boy…what was it like to live in a world where only love existed? Where parents were supportive and caring. Where friends were fun and cheerful. Where war didn't exist. Where there was no such thing as an enemy. Where everyone was happy and life was so simple. That was this little boy's world.

And Bertholdt suddenly felt like he didn't deserve to be in it.

"I don't deserve Uncle Reiner," he murmured. "Uncle Reiner is strong and brave and fun and kind and determined and loving. I'm…weak-willed and…always scared and insecure. Uncle Reiner deserves someone better than me."

The little boy was quiet for a few seconds, looking up at the tall man with sad eyes. He tilted his head a little, leaning into Bertholdt's touch, and finally said, "I think all people don't like themselves sometimes, and I think that's okay. But, you, Uncle Bertholdt…you don't like yourself all the time, and that's not okay."

The brunet stared at the child with wide, unbelieving eyes, and his mouth suddenly felt dry. He moved his hand from the boy's head to his chin so he could tilt his head up and get a good look at his face. When he spoke, his voice was a stunned whisper. "How do you know so much about that? How could you possibly know?"

"Because Papa doesn't like himself all the time, too."

"…What?"

"What the hell, Bertl, you lying down on the job?"

The two immediately looked up to see that Reiner had returned with an old hat and scarf. The blond looked unimpressed with the two of them sitting there on the front lawn, especially since the snowman still lacked a face. He sighed and reached into his pocket. "Good thing I thought of this and picked up these pebbles near our front door."

"It was my fault, Uncle Reiner," the little boy explained, smiling sheepishly. "I surprised Uncle Bertholdt, and he fell over, and then we started talking and forgot about the rocks."

An understanding smile spread across Reiner's face. "Ah, I see. Well, Uncle Bertholdt doesn't talk that much, so, if you can get him to talk with you, that's a good thing! Just for that, you should put the face on the snowman. Here you go." He placed the pebbles in the little boy's hands and watched as the child started crafting the happy face.

Bertholdt stood and wiped the snow from his clothes, shivering slightly at the cooling sweat on his skin. Suddenly, he felt another layer cover his shoulders, and he looked to see that Reiner had also brought another jacket with him. The blond silently smiled up at him, and, while the embarrassed blush still stained his cheeks, he found that the warm feeling in his chest made him smile back.

As soon as the snowman was complete with his face, scarf, and hat, the front door opened. "The brat is taking longer than expected to clean up. You'd think he'd know how to do it properly by now," Levi sighed. "Baby, come inside, I don't want you out in the cold much longer. You two staying or going or what?"

"We built a snowman, Papa!" the little boy cheered.

Levi nodded, a slight smile gracing his features. "I see that. It looks good. Maybe we'll give him a friend later. But, for now, inside."

"Then we'll head home," Reiner said, waving. "Later. Tell Eren we'll see him soon. And we'll definitely be back sometime to play with you again, little buddy." He ruffled the child's hair and gently pat his back towards the front door. The little boy waved back at them and ran inside, giggling at the sound of his daddy's frustrated groans over the mess in his room.

* * *

During the walk back home, Reiner and Bertholdt stayed separate, keeping their hands in their pockets. Bertholdt kept his eyes downcast, seemingly very interested in the frosty streets. Reiner actually had to stop him once they arrived at their home, as the taller man was about to walk right by it. He frowned shyly, followed the blond inside, and suddenly wrapped his arms around his shoulders, pressing his lips to the back of Reiner's neck and breathing in his scent.

Reiner just smiled. "I love it when you're clingy."

Bertholdt stilled. "I'm sorry I can't be like that in public."

The blond shrugged. "I don't mind. It means that only I get to see this side of you, and that makes me the luckiest guy alive."

"No, Reiner, this is serious, this is a problem," the brunet nearly sobbed, bringing his hands up to his face to hide his teary eyes and red cheeks. "I just…you deserve someone so much better than me, Reiner! You deserve someone who will hold hands with you while walking down the street and dance with you at parties and marry you after more than enough years of dating. And I…I just can't do any of that! I don't feel comfortable with that or with myself or…anything! The mere though of holding hands in public makes me sweat, and I don't know why. It's not you. It's never you. I wish I could do all that and so much more with you! And yet I…!"

"BERTL!" Reiner suddenly shouted, turning and grasping his lover by the shoulders. Bertholdt removed his hands from his face just enough to see Reiner looking at him with both sympathetic and frustrated eyes. "Bertholdt Fubar, how many damn times do we need to go over this?" he asked. "I've already told you that I don't care about any of that. You're the most affectionate person I know when we're alone, and that's good enough for me! Would it be nice if we held hands in public and danced at parties? Yeah, it would, not gonna lie. But what I care about the most is making you happy and comfortable. And if those things don't make you happy and comfortable, then we won't do them, it's as simple as that!"

"But we've been together for so long!" Bertholdt shot back. "We've been together since we were teenagers, the longest out of everyone we know! Eren got married only a few months after he turned eighteen, even though he and Levi had known each other for less than three years. If they could get married after such a short amount of time, then we should be married, too, but I just CAN'T, Reiner, and I don't know what's stopping me! I just…!"

Reiner cut him off with a sudden kiss.

When he pulled away, Bertholdt was panting heavily, and his eyes were full of unshed tears. Reiner gently cupped his face and forced him to look at him. When he spoke, his voice was firm yet loving. "Bertl, you're just a late bloomer, that's all. When you're ready to get married, we will, and no one said we had to have a huge party. But even if we never get married, I'll still love you and stay by your side. Barely any married couples have been through what we've been through, so our bond is already stronger than any ring you could put on my finger. It's okay, Bertl, it really is. Please don't compare us to anyone else. We're not Eren and Levi, we're us, and that's okay."

The tears started spilling from Bertholdt's eyes. "…Why are you defending me?"

Reiner smiled again and wiped the tears away with his thumbs. "Because I'm the Armored Titan. It's my job to defend you, the slow yet valuable Colossal Titan."

Bertholdt never cried harder in his life than he did at that moment. He shook violently, crumbling in Reiner's arms to the floor. The blond followed and held him, rubbing his back soothingly and pressing kisses to the top of his head. Bertholdt gripped his shirt with both hands, his tears soaking it. The sight would be pathetic to anyone who happened to glance through the window, but how they looked hardly mattered to Reiner. All he cared about was letting his lover know that, yes, he was loved.

"What brought all this on, Bertl?" he asked quietly as soon as the brunet had calmed down enough. "Did Eren's kid say something?"

Bertholdt wiped his eyes and nose. "He just asked if we were ever going to get married. Then he went on about how he could tell that you wanted to dance with me at Connie and Sasha's wedding and-"

"Wait, what?"

"What?" The brunet finally looked up.

"I mean, what, what was that last part? He could tell that I wanted to dance with you?"

"That's what he said."

"He could also tell that Annie wanted to dance with Armin! How in the hell does a kid who can't even read yet pick up on stuff like that? How is he so perceptive?"

Bertholdt was at a loss for words. "I don't know," he finally managed to say. "I mean, yeah, he's Eren's kid, but he's also Levi's kid, so maybe he inherited his intelligence along with his hair and height? Unless…"

"Unless?"

"…Unless Eren and Levi are really lovey-dovey at home and that's how the kid knows about love?"

"…What."

_"Honey, I'm home!"_

_"Welcome home, sweetheart!"_

_Levi rushes out of the kitchen while wiping his hands on his adorably patterned apron to greet his beloved husband. Eren bends down and Levi stands on his tip-toes so they can share a kiss. "Did you have a good day?" the shorter asks._

_Eren just grins. "It's perfect now that I'm home with you." He kisses Levi again, and they both giggle._

_"Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. I'm making your favorite!" the shorter says as he pulls away and skips back into the kitchen, Eren following closely behind. Their son rushes to Eren as soon as he spots him, and the tallest picks the little boy up and cuddles him._

_"Were you a good boy for Papa today?" Eren asks._

_Levi nods. "He was. We just both missed you so much."_

_"Aw, I missed both of you, too." Eren kisses his husband again, and the child in his arms giggles sweetly as Levi wraps his arms around Eren's waist, determined not to let his dear husband go. He pouts and looks up at him with longing eyes, and Eren can't help himself. He kisses him again. "So needy," he teases, but he loves the attention and affection. "Don't worry, I love you so much. You're my one and only."_

_Levi smiles and flushes a cute shade of pink. "I love you, too."_

_"I love you more."_

_"No, I do."_

_"I love you the most!"_

_"No, I love YOU the most!"_

Reiner and Bertholdt stared at one another in silence for what seemed like an eternity.

Finally, Reiner spoke.

"Okay, I'm gonna be sick, and that's gonna be haunting me in my sleep tonight."

Bertholdt nodded vigorously, sweat rolling down his body and accumulating in little puddles on the floor. "Let's just say that the kid inherited Levi's brain and leave it at that for now."

"Agreed. Now let's make like Levi and clean out our minds like we've never cleaned them before."

"YES, PLEASE."

The great mystery of the kid's intelligence could wait.


	16. Announcement Story

_Warm._

_Soft._

_Cozy._

_It's dark but I don't mind._

_I don't want to move. I don't want to leave wherever I am right now._

_I wonder…was this what it was like before I was born?_

_Before I was…oh yeah, that's…_

"…aby?"

_Today is…?_

"…ke up…by."

_Mmm, it's January 30th. It's…_

"Good morning."

Eyes open. Light.

_…Daddy and Papa._

"Happy birthday, baby."

The little boy grinned sleepily and giggled into his pillow, hoisting the sheets up over his head just as Eren's fingers began tickling under his chin. He let go of the sheets and tried to wiggle away from his daddy, clutching his favorite stuffed toy in attempted defense. "No, no!" he squealed, his laughter's volume steadily increasing. "Noooooo! Papa, the Tickle Titan came back!"

"Oh god, no," Levi deadpanned, rolling his eyes and shaking his head as he swatted Eren's hands away. "That's enough. Start that charade up again and I WILL put on my uniform just to slay you."

The little boy giggled again, relieved that the surprise tickle attack was over. He finally pushed the sheets off himself and held his arms up, a big smile on his face. "It's my birthday, birthdaaaaay!" he sang, bouncing in his spot.

Levi let a smirk tug at his lips. "Yes, it is, happy birthday, baby," he said as he picked the boy up in his arms and gave him a hug. "You can open your presents after breakfast, and I'll make your favorite dinner tonight. And there's even dessert waiting for you after dinner."

The child happily squirmed in anticipation. "Yay! Thank you, Papa!"

Eren ruffled his hair. "And we'll play whatever you want."

Levi coughed. "Except Survey Corps Expedition."

"Right, except Survey Corps Expedition."

The shorter set their son down. "Go clean yourself up and get dressed so we can have fun today."

The little boy did as he was told in record time. When he appeared fully dressed in the kitchen downstairs, Levi had to wonder if he had properly washed his face and hands, but he kept his mouth shut. It was his son's birthday, and what better day to bend the rules a little than on a birthday? Sighing in defeat, he kept cooking the family's breakfast while Eren set the table in the dining room.

_KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!_

Eren set the last plate down and headed towards the front door. "Who could that be this early in the morning?" he muttered as he turned the doorknob. "And don't they know-"

"EREN!"

Connie slammed the door all the way open the moment Eren began to pull it back. The short man's face was bright pink, and he seemed out of breath, but his eyes were sparkling, and a seemingly permanent, big, stupid smile adorned his face. He jumped up and grabbed Eren by the collar momentarily, not so much out of malice or need but more because he was just so flustered that he didn't know what else to do. Eren raised a brow at his behavior, as it almost looked like he was doing his best impression of Hanji learning something new about Titans.

"EREN!" the short man repeated, voice giddy and loud.

"Connie, what the…?"

"SASHA'S PREGNANT!"

Everything went silent for a second, and then Eren and Connie both jumped up and cheered out of pure joy. Connie continued bouncing in his spot, his excited grin showing no signs of disappearing any time soon. Eren's hands flailed a bit before he grasped Connie's shoulders and yelled, "Congratulations!"

"I'm gonna be a dad! I'm gonna be a dad!" Connie continued, still bouncing despite Eren's hold on him. "Some adorable kid is gonna call me 'Daddy' soon! Oh my god, I can't believe it, I just can't!"

Eren's own son joined them at the front door to see what all the fuss was. "What?"

Connie quickly bent down to his level. "Aunt Sasha is pregnant. She has a baby growing in her belly. You're gonna have a new friend to play with!"

The little boy's face immediately brightened, and he jumped up to give the man a big hug. "Wow, that's great, Uncle Connie! I'm so excited! You're gonna be a daddy, too!"

"Yes, I am, little buddy," he agreed, ruffling the child's hair.

Levi overheard all the commotion and joined them, sporting an unreadable expression. "Congratulations. When is she due?"

"In July, close to her birthday actually," Connie replied as he stood up straight. "We've actually known for a while, but we can finally tell people because it's the end of the third month. I've been dying to tell you guys this whole time, seriously! That's why we've kinda stayed at home for the past few weeks. We knew that, if we ran into you guys, we'd end up telling you too soon."

Eren laughed. "We all just assumed you were having an extended honeymoon."

Connie laughed, too. "Kinda felt like it. Oh, it's your birthday, too, right?" he asked as he knelt back down to the little boy's level. "Heh, sorry to burst in on your celebration, little buddy, but this is pretty great news, huh?"

The child nodded. "Yeah! I'm gonna have a new friend. That's a great present!"

"I'm glad you're just as excited as I am," Connie said as he stood back up again. "Happy birthday, little buddy, have a great day."

"Thank you!"

"Do you need anything?" Eren asked. "How's Sasha? Has she been sick?"

Connie shrugged. "She was a little sick during the first month, but it wasn't horrible. Her nausea calmed down towards the end of the second month, and it disappeared by the middle of the third. She's been feeling really good for the past two weeks. It was absolutely nothing compared to what you went through, Levi."

The raven sighed. "Yeah, well, not like it wasn't all worth it in the end."

Connie's grin widened. "Hell yeah! We're getting an adorable little baby outta this! This is the best! Aw man, I gotta go tell everyone else. I just wanna scream this news to all of humanity! I'll see you guys around. You should come over some time, see ya!" And he ran off into town to find the rest of their friends.

Levi sighed again. "He's gonna go door-to-door telling everyone, isn't he?"

Eren laughed but then a thought struck him. "Hey, when did Connie and Sasha get married again?"

"At the end of October."

"And he said this was the end of her third month?"

"Yeah."

Silence.

"Damn," Eren finally said, "sure didn't waste any time, did they?"

Levi snorted, closed the front door, and walked back into the kitchen. "Whatever, it seems like they wanted to have kids right away."

Eren nodded as he joined his husband. "Sasha's from a tight-knit village full of kids, and Connie, well, he probably wanted to create a new family for himself as soon as possible. I can't blame him."

Levi bit his lip as he stirred the hot mixture of grains and fruits cooking on the stove. That was a loaded statement if there had ever been one. Here Eren and Levi were, both having lost most of their families and friends at young ages, living together with their son. He was their family now, although Levi knew deep in his heart that the child existing was against the laws of nature. He still had so many questions and no answers. How had he gotten pregnant in the first place? He figured it had had something to do with Eren's Titan powers, but that was a taboo subject in the Jaeger household. And, Levi thought, even if it wasn't, he probably wouldn't dwell on it too much. He didn't want to question his happiness.

Good thing their son had a different question as soon as he joined them. "Daddy? Papa?"

"Hmm?"

"Did you guys react like that when you found out you were gonna have me?"

"Tch," Levi muttered, "if Daddy had gone door-to-door shouting the news like Uncle Connie, I would have beaten the crap out of him. And then gotten sick all over him."

Their son giggled. "So what did you do?

"Well," Levi sighed, looking up towards the ceiling with a thoughtful expression, "the whole thing was…interesting…"

_Levi wanted to go home. He wanted to go home right now. He wanted to be back in the safety of his own house, curled up in his own bed, sleeping so as to get some momentary relief from whatever had been plaguing him for the past several weeks. Alas, he couldn't go home, at least not until Eren was satisfied with whatever the doctor had to say about his condition._

_Levi kept his eyes on the ceiling as he lay on the examination table, feeling both aggravating irritation and the sick feeling of nausea bubble up in his stomach. He had been feeling like this for about six weeks now and had finally agreed to Eren's request (read: begging) to see a doctor about it. He could understand why his dear husband was so worried though. After all, Levi was such a clean person that he was hardly ever sick, so the fact that he was so violently ill made Eren more than a little nervous. Of course, Levi was also stubborn, which was why he had taken so long to consult a doctor in the first place, as he had hoped that whatever he had would pass._

_No such luck. He quickly glanced at Eren, who was sitting on the opposite side of the examination room, eyes wide with worry and tense fingers folded over one another as he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his thighs. The brunet stared at him, silently telling him things like "I love you" and "I'll take care of you" and "I'll stay with you no matter what." Levi found it rather touching that Eren placed his health above everything, but he also hoped that Eren wouldn't have to tell him all those things. Basically, he hoped he wasn't dying._

_"Jaeger," the doctor finally murmured, looking up from his paperwork and turning towards Eren. "Grisha Jaeger's son, I presume?"_

_Eren nodded._

_"I thought so," the doctor said, turning back to the papers. "I gotta be honest, I wish your father was still around. I think he'd be very interested in this case."_

_Eren bit his lip. "Why?" he asked, feeling a weight drop into his stomach. No one had mentioned his father in years, so the fact that somebody, especially another doctor, wanted him around was more than a little worrying._

_The doctor sighed and shook his head. "I'm baffled, to be honest."_

_Levi sat up straight with every intention of giving the man a piece of his mind, but a sudden wave of nausea overtook him, and he immediately rushed into the nearby washroom. Eren went to follow after him, but the doctor stopped him. "You don't need a doctor like me who treats illnesses, Mr. Jaeger, because your husband isn't sick. If you want, I can give you the names of a few trusted midwives who are friends of mine."_

_Eren's eyes burst open as wide as they could go. He tried to form coherent sentences, a million thoughts and questions running rampant throughout his mind all at once, but the only thing that came out of his mouth was, "…What?"_

_"I'm saying that I think your husband is pregnant."_

* * *

_"WHAT THE HELL."_

_Levi grabbed Eren's arm and shoved him backwards, glaring at him with both rage and fear as they stood in front of a new building. Eren looked like he was about to cry, but he kept himself together as he watched his beloved husband fall apart. Levi wasn't an idiot. He knew what kind of doctors practiced in this building._

_"Why are we here?" he said. It was more of a demand than a question._

_Eren bit his lip to keep it from trembling. "Please just humor me, Levi."_

_"I'm not a woman, Eren!"_

_"And I'm not your average human!"_

_Levi stopped at that, his resolve beginning to crumble. "Dammit," he whispered, wrapping his arms around his midsection, "what the hell did you do to me?"_

_"Levi-"_

_"We don't even have to go in. I know, dammit."_

_Eren's eyes widened. "What?"_

_"You heard me, stupid brat," the shorter snapped, eyes beginning to water and voice starting to crack. "All the symptoms are there. Nausea, increased appetite, sensitivity to smell and taste, mood swings, and my muscles are starting to soften. Dammit, I…" He smacked his forehead against his palms and let out a shuddering sigh. "I didn't want to believe it. I wanted it to be an illness so badly, so I kept telling myself that it would pass and that I would get better, but…"_

_Eren rushed to his husband and wrapped his arms around him, clutching him and cradling him and giving him all the warmth and love he could handle. Maybe more. Levi grabbed onto him and hid his face in the taller's neck, fighting with the last of his control to keep his composure. Humanity's Strongest didn't sob into his husband's shoulder in front of a midwife's workplace, dammit._

_"Let's at least get a confirmation," Eren murmured, his voice gentle and comforting. He sighed when Levi began to relax in his arms, and he felt the shorter nod against his neck. He let Levi pull away first, and, when they were upright, Levi rubbed his eyes, took Eren's hand, and led them into the building._

* * *

_Dead silence._

_Levi sat at his desk in his office, and Eren stood by his side. Their friends stood in front of them, mouths agape and eyes impossibly wide. Levi's eyes were shut tightly, as he didn't want to see their stunned reactions, and he fought his nausea down. There was no way he was getting sick in front of all those little brats._

_Eren held his breath and waited for a reaction. Honestly, he hadn't known what to expect. After all, how did one react to hearing that Humanity's Strongest was pregnant with the Hope of Humanity's child?_

_Hanji was the first to speak._

_"Woo! Shorty got some!"_

_Eren smacked his face into his palm._

_"Dammit, four-eyes," Levi groaned, his nausea starting to get worse, "really?"_

_"Just…HOW?!" Armin cried out, voice panicked yet somewhat congratulatory. It was a weird mix, but this was a weird situation. Soon the rest of the group joined in with their own questions and confused well-wishes._

_Levi sighed. "We don't know."_

_"Oh my gosh, then I just HAVE to study you!" Hanji squealed, rushing up to the desk and smacking her hands on it, staring straight down at Levi with excited eyes. "I want to come to all your doctor appointments, and I want to do my own check-ups on you, and I wanna be there when the kid is born! Oh my gosh, can I have some samples? You know, all those good bodily fluids and-!"_

_"DAMMIT!" Levi shouted as he clamped a hand over his mouth and made for the connecting washroom._

_"SAVE IT, SAVE IT! DON'T THROW IT AWAY!" Hanji cried, running after him. "YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MANY TESTS I WANNA RUN!"_

_"For god's sake, let the man be sick in peace!" Jean moaned, annoyed and perplexed and sort of happy. It was only after he said this that he realized how stupid it sounded._

_Everyone kept talking and questioning the situation until Mikasa walked in front of Levi's desk and said, "That's enough! Stop all this ridiculousness right now!" The room suddenly went quiet, so she continued, "Eren and Levi told us this because they trust us and because they want our support, and that's exactly what we're going to give them. Yes, Levi should be studied carefully, but this is a wonderful event. We should be celebrating and congratulating them on the new life that will be arriving soon. Save your questions and criticism for another time!"_

_Levi reemerged from the washroom just in time to hear the end of her speech. His stomach was still doing flip-flops, and he had the sinking feeling like he'd get sick again soon, but he was happy for the first time in weeks. At least one of those little brats understood why he had called and told them the news specifically._

_And, just like that, the tension and panic started to disappear. One by one, the rest of his and Eren's friends calmed down and offered both supportive smiles and their congratulations. Connie made some stupid comment about how weird it still was, but it fell on deaf ears, and Jean slapped his hand over the shorter's mouth to keep him from speaking again. Sasha mentioned that she knew about some herbs that could help with nausea. Armin made a mental note to start researching everything he could about babies, and he offered to tell Reiner, Bertholdt, and Annie later (as they were still serving their sentences after returning to humanity's side). Historia just giggled so she didn't see Ymir smirk._

_"Wonder when the baby shower is. I got one hell of a present in mind."_

_Levi didn't hear any of this. He went to lean against the nearby wall and found himself leaning against Eren's chest instead. He looked up at his husband and smiled weakly as his tired eyes gently closed. He was a little too short to reach it, but he could faintly hear Eren's steady heartbeat, and it was more than comforting. He wasn't alone. Even though this situation was strange and very messy and downright unheard of, he had support. He had his dear friends, and he had his beloved husband. Eren would protect and support him, yes, he would._

_Ba-bump, ba-bump._

_Two of those were inside him. One was his and the other was…_

_…Oh boy._

The little boy looked up at his Papa with curious eyes. "So…you were happy?"

Levi smiled slightly. "Overall, yes. We were just, well, surprised at first. Babies normally grow inside mommies' tummies before being born, so the fact that you were growing inside mine was unusual."

"It's okay though," Eren added as the three of them sat at the dining table, "because you're special. But enough of that for now. We'll tell you more when you're older. All you need to know is that we love you very much and that we're very happy you're here. Now let's eat."

The child smiled and nodded. "Okay! But, um, Daddy?"

"Yes?"

"After breakfast, could you take my drawings in the kitchen down please?"

"Why?"

"I have to draw a baby in Uncle Connie and Aunt Sasha's picture so all three of them can find the forests where it rains all the time!"

* * *

At last the boy was asleep. Eren sat in the master bed, waiting for his husband to finish up in the washroom. He heard the last of the water drain and smiled as Levi emerged in the room and climbed in the bed next to him. Eren then wrapped his arms around him and kissed his temple.

"Your cake was delicious," he murmured, giving him another kiss.

Levi smiled slightly, feeling a sense of pride as he snuggled closer. "You have nothing to compare it to."

Eren laughed. "Doesn't matter, you're a great cook, so I doubt any other cake I could eat would ever be as good." Another kiss. "I think we did well as far as presents go, too."

"He's gonna be reading in no time with those children's books. And we never stopped playing with those new toy soldiers. At least now he has enough to represent all of us." The shorter cupped Eren's face in his hands and began kissing his lips. "Enough of that though. I'm way more interested in you right now." He kept kissing Eren over and over again and then ran his hands down the taller's broad chest, annoyed at the thick pajama top covering it. He released a groan into Eren's mouth as he slipped his hands underneath the fabric and trailed them upwards.

Eren was enjoying all the attention, but he gently gripped his husband's wrists, signaling for him to stop. Levi immediately did so and pulled away, confusion and impatience in his eyes. Eren noticed this and said, "Sorry, something's just bugging me, it's been bugging me since this morning when Connie showed up. You seemed sad."

Levi raised a brow. "The hell?"

"I'm serious. It's not like you're usually a bundle of energy or anything, but you didn't look like you were happy. You looked like you were trying to hide something."

Levi flinched at Eren's words. "What, I'm supposed to be happy that those two idiots are reproducing?"

"Levi."

"What?"

"Are you jealous? Do you want another baby?"

Levi stopped breathing for a second, and he tried his best to hide his shock from Eren, but it was no use. Eren sighed, wrapped his arms around Levi again, brought the man close, and kissed his forehead. "Ah, bullseye," he sighed pleasantly, "you're getting easier to read."

"Forget it, stupid brat, why would I want to be constantly ill and disgusting for months again?" Levi growled as he attempted to wiggle his way out of Eren's grasp. It didn't work.

Eren gave him a soft smile. "Because this morning you said so yourself that it was all worth it in the end."

Levi went to swear but couldn't find the words. Eren was right and there was no way he was going to convince him otherwise. He clutched that heavy pajama top with both hands and buried his face into Eren's chest, horribly embarrassed, which was weird. Levi didn't get embarrassed…or so he thought. Yet another power Eren held over Levi. The brat was dangerous.

"Levi."

The raven looked up only to receive a kiss.

Eren smiled sweetly.

"I do, too. Let's try to have another baby!"


	17. Lullaby Story

The little boy sitting in Eren's lap wiggled impatiently as he rested his head against his daddy's chest. "Ugh, when's Papa going to be finished with his meeting?" he groaned.

Eren sighed and kissed the top of the child's head. "I know, he's taking much longer than he said he would. Sorry, baby, but we gotta wait." He then leaned back against the wall and glanced at the doorway next to them. They had been sitting on the couch outside the meeting room for a good hour now, and Eren was beginning to worry. The plan had been to meet Levi after his meeting and go out to dinner before heading home. The sun had already gone down though, and both Eren's and his son's stomachs were growling. At this rate, they wouldn't get home until way past their son's bedtime.

But there was nothing he could do. The meeting was only for high-ranking officials in the Survey Corps, and, while Eren certainly had advanced in the rankings over the years, he was still below Levi. Not only that, but the meeting (supposedly) didn't involve a discussion about his Titan form, so he hadn't been invited to attend it. He wasn't particularly worried about the meeting's topic since he was sure that Levi would tell him all about it later, but the fact that it was causing his beloved husband to be so late was more than a little worrying.

"Daddy," the boy in Eren's lap whined, "I'm hungry…"

Eren sighed heavily through his nose. "Maybe we can ask for a piece of bread somewhere…"

At that moment, the door to the meeting room slammed open, and Levi walked into the hallway with narrowed eyes, a flushed face, and a tense body. Eren and their son jumped at his sudden appearance, and they jumped again when he slammed the door shut behind him.

After a moment of silence, Levi, who was dressed in his uniform, turned his head and visibly deflated, exhaling a long breath and leaning back against the doors. "I'm sorry I'm late," he said, sounding exhausted.

"What happened in there?" Eren asked as he stood, setting their son on the floor.

Levi shook his head. "I'll tell you about it later. For now, I just want to get out of here and go to dinner."

* * *

Eren's fears were recognized as soon as the trio left the restaurant. Not only was it dark out, but it was also freezing cold, a little too cold for mid-February, and the streets were packed on that Saturday night. The restaurant had been crowded as well, so their dinner had been slow, and they didn't even really know what time it was anymore. Levi rolled his eyes and massaged the side of his head, feeling a headache come on. He had been through too much already to be dealing with all this, too.

Eren noticed his husband's annoyance and took their son's hand. "C'mon, let's go home," he said gently. "It's getting close to bedtime. I bet Papa wants to go to bed, too."

The little boy barely heard his words. He was too absorbed in staring at the packed streets, eyes wide and fearful. He had never been out at night in such a busy place, and all the unfamiliar faces made him uncomfortable. He already had enough trouble ordering food in a restaurant since the waiter was a stranger, thank you very much, so he didn't need all these other strangers around him on top of that.

"Baby?"

The child gasped and looked up, finally snapped out of his daze. "Yeah, I'm getting sleepy," he admitted, clutching his Daddy's hand tightly. "I wanna go home."

Eren nodded and the three of them walked into the crowd. People criss-crossed in all different directions, trying to make their ways to the various shops, restaurants, and bars in the area, so the flow of traffic wasn't even organized. Levi walked to the front of their little pack, hoping that maybe his reputation would be enough to get people out of the way, but it hardly made a difference, as it was too dark to see his face. Even Eren, who stuck out due to his height, wasn't recognized.

So, of course, nobody even saw their son at all.

"Blargh, watch where yer goin'!"

A large, drunken man seemed to appear out of nowhere and slammed into the family. Eren only had a fraction of a second to react when he felt the little hand slip from his own. He turned. Levi followed suit, and they saw nothing but a crowd.

* * *

Large, faceless figures passing by.

Large, faceless strangers.

Everywhere.

"DADDYYYYYY! PAPAAAAAAAA!" the little boy tried to scream above the hustle and chatter in the streets. He tried to run forward, but people stood in his path. Instead, he fell backwards and yelped when someone stepped on his hand. Frantic, he scrambled to his unstable feet and rushed past the crowds, only to fall again, landing right into the dirt. His legs shook as he tried to stand up again, only to fall again. Finally, he gave up and crawled into a nearby, narrow alleyway.

Scared.

Cold.

And alone.

The little boy sat against the alleyway wall with his knees clutched to his chest, eyes impossibly wide as he watched the crowds pass by him. His breath was quiet and shallow, and his skin was starting to sweat not unlike how Bertholdt's often did. He felt his stomach churn slightly, and he feared for his recently-eaten dinner. The whole scene was just so intimidating. Dozens of people walked by him without so much as a glance. Did they know he was there? Could they see him? Or did they just assume he was a poor, abandoned kid who had ventured out from the slums? He tried to speak, but the words wouldn't form, and he suddenly found himself hoping that nobody would notice him.

"Just wait for Daddy and Papa," he barely breathed to himself as he began to tremble. "They'll find me. Yeah, they'll find me." His voice was weak and shaky, and the words he did manage to form convinced no one, including himself.

"Daddy…Papa…come find me, come save me. I'm all alone."

Tears pricked the corners of his eyes as he stared into the crowds of faceless people. An image flashed through his mind of someone, no, all of them, suddenly turning towards him and grabbing him, taking him away never to see his daddy or papa ever again, to somewhere dark from which he could never escape. They were all so much bigger than he was; they would easily be able to attack him. He'd never stand a chance.

He suddenly knew why he was so afraid of strangers. He realized what they were to him.

"…Titans."

And he dropped his head and burst into tears.

A few seconds later, he heard a voice.

"Ah, I thought I smelled tears. Told you."

The child looked up. Two men in military uniforms were crouched down next to him, one in the Survey Corps and the other in the Garrison. Surprisingly enough, the boy wasn't scared. Yes, they were strangers, but they were soldiers. Better yet, one of them was in the same branch of the military as his Daddy and Papa, so maybe they knew him. The other one seemed to be his friend or at least know him. They smiled sweetly at him and spoke gently.

"It's awfully cold and late for you to be sitting here all by yourself, isn't it?" the Garrison soldier asked.

The boy sniffed and wiped his eyes. "I…I can't find my daddy and papa."

The man sighed sympathetically. "You poor thing."

The boy's eyes suddenly brightened with hope, and he pointed to the other soldier. "Wait, maybe you know my daddy and papa. They're in the Survey Corps, too!"

The man nodded and smiled. "I know your daddy and papa quite well actually, and I can tell that you're their son. You have your papa's black hair, don't you?"

"And I'd know those big, green eyes anywhere. I can even see them here in the dark," the Garrison soldier added. "No doubt about it, you're a Jaeger. In fact, aside from your hair, you look exactly like your daddy." He smiled and sat down next to the boy. "Don't worry, we'll find them for you. Just be brave for a little while longer."

The Survey Corps soldier stood and turned. The child followed his gaze and gasped. Four other Survey Corps soldiers stood nearby, three men and a woman. They all had determined grins on their faces, and they all saluted the tall man in front of them.

"Sir!"

The man nodded. "You know what to do."

"Yes, Sir!"

And they ran into the crowd.

The child looked up at the man. "They all know my daddy and papa, too?"

The man nodded again but didn't say another word. He just inhaled deeply through his nose and smiled.

The Garrison soldier rolled his eyes. "Don't mind him. It's just a habit."

* * *

"BABYYYYYYYYYYY!"

"Call him by his name, idiot."

Eren turned with every intention of glaring at his husband, but he lost the will to do so once he saw the pitiful expression on Levi's face. The man looked broken. His eyes were wide, yet his pupils were tiny, and he stared at the ground as he began to tremble. Eren gently placed his hand on the shorter's shoulder and leaned down to place a kiss on his temple. Levi didn't react; he only continued to stare dumbly at the dirty road.

Eren swallowed hard. "Levi-"

"Why the hell am I a parent?"

The question made Eren reel back.

"I'm the last person in all of humanity who should be a parent."

"That's not true!" Eren shouted, grasping Levi by the shoulders and forcing him to look at him. At least now Levi had a readable expression on his face, one of surprise. Eren narrowed his eyes and continued, "None of this is your fault, Levi, and saying dumb crap like that isn't going to help us find him. Pull yourself together!"

Levi didn't reply.

"Dammit," Eren ground out, bringing his hand towards his mouth. "That's it, I'm clearing out this area and-"

"DON'T, YOU IDIOT!"

Levi pulled Eren's hand away from his mouth before he could bite it. He clutched it in his own two smaller hands and said, "Look, I want to find him, too, but your Titan form would cause more harm than good. Think about it, stupid, do you really want to cause a scene here?" He narrowed his eyes, finally looking like his usual self.

Eren just smiled. "That's better."

Levi's eyes widened again, suddenly realizing his husband's trick. "Did you just…?

That was when a powerful gust of wind blew down the street. Many people cried out in surprise, and some ran into nearby buildings to escape it, so the crowd quickly thinned out. Eren and Levi remained in their spots, holding their arms up to protect their faces, but Levi suddenly gasped and turned in the direction the wind was blowing. eyes wide again. He dropped his arms and took a few steps forward, face now expressing utter shock.

"Where's this weird wind coming from?" Eren asked, lowering his arms. "And why is it so warm?"

Levi began to tremble again.

_This wind,_ he thought,  _it's the same as back then, the night of…Connie's bachelor party, when Jean talked about…_

He started running forward at full speed, Eren confused yet following close behind.

* * *

When the child looked back up, the tall man from the Survey Corps was gone. He blinked a few times and looked into the thinning crowd, but he couldn't see him anywhere. Tears pricked the corners of his eyes again as he thought about the possibility of being all alone again.

"Hey, hey, no more crying," the Garrison soldier said, ruffling his hair. "Don't worry, your daddy and papa are on their way."

The boy sniffed and said, "How do you know?"

The man smiled and stood, prompting the child to stand, too. As soon as they did, they heard quick footsteps running towards them, and the man gently pushed the boy out onto the streets. "Do me a favor tomorrow morning after you've had a good night's sleep, would you?" he said. "That freckled kid gets all the good drinks. I swear, that horse-faced kid spoils him. Tell your daddy to buy Hannes a drink once in a while, okay?"

When the boy turned around, the Garrison soldier was gone.

But it didn't matter. In a fraction of a second, Levi's arms were around him, holding him and protecting him and loving him more than they ever had before. Levi didn't care that they were kneeling in mud, and, in another second, Eren's large arms were encircled around both of them.

* * *

Eren carried their son the rest of the way home. After a warm bath, Eren dressed him in his most comfortable pajamas and placed an extra quilt on top of his bed. Eren's plush Titan lookalike sat patiently on the little pillow, waiting for its best friend.

It would have to wait a little while longer. Levi picked the boy up, hugged him close, and sat in the rocking chair. He gently began rocking back and forth, rubbing his silent son's back and placing kisses on his forehead every once in a while. The only sound came from the creaking of the chair until Levi did something that surprised even himself.

He began to sing.

_Lullaby and good night,_

_Go to sleep, little baby._

_Now we love you more each day,_

_While you sleep and while you play._

_The day is done, so take a break,_

_We'll be here when you wake._

And, just like that, their son was fast asleep.

Levi kept rocking for a few more minutes, basking in the warm weight against his chest that was his little boy, his baby. He gently tightened his grip around the little body and pressed a long kiss to the top of his head.

He didn't look up when he began to speak. "We lost him today."

Eren, who sat on the child's bed across from Levi, looked up and frowned. "It was an accident, and we eventually found him. Besides, it was mostly my fault. I should have kept a better grip on his hand. Or better yet, I should have carried him."

"How the hell could we manage two if we can't even keep track of one?"

Eren bit his lip. He had no good answer, so he changed the subject. "I haven't heard you sing in years. I think the last time you did was the night we swapped out his crib for a bed."

Levi was a little annoyed that his husband hadn't answered his question, but he didn't bother fighting him. He had been through more than enough drama for one day, so he just sighed and said, "I can sing to him if I want."

Eren smiled. "You said the same thing that time I caught you singing to him while you were pregnant."

"Shut up."

The smile on Eren's face widened. He'd definitely tell that story someday.

But it could wait. Tonight wasn't a bedtime story kind of night; it was definitely a lullaby kind of night.


	18. Fight Story

Armin's vision was bleary at best as he forced his eyes open, awoken by the loud knocking sound at his front door. He tried to ignore it, hoping it would go away, but whoever was outside his home was persistent. Groaning into his pillow, he forced himself up, rubbed his tired eyes, and put on the shirt and the pair of pants he had haphazardly thrown on the floor the night before. Yawning, he trudged to the front door and began to open it. "I swear, Eren, if that's you-"

"UNCLE ARMIN!"

Armin felt a weight slam into his legs, and, when he looked down, he saw Eren and Levi's son hugging them. His eyes instantly widened, as the boy was sobbing hysterically. Also, he was alone.

Well, Armin was certainly awake now. "What's the matter, sweetheart?" he asked, getting on his knees and bringing the crying child into a hug. "Sweetie, what's wrong? Where are your daddy and papa?"

The boy calmed his sobs just long enough to shout, "FIGHTING!" And then he released another loud wail.

Armin was about to say something when he heard another voice, this one very tired and very annoyed, coming from the hallway leading to his bedroom. "Armin, what the…?"

The little boy hiccuped and looked up. "…Hi, Aunt Annie."

The woman froze once she took in the scene, now very much awake herself.

After a moment of silence, she finally spoke again. "I'm gonna go put on some pants so we can figure this out."

Once Annie was appropriately dressed, the trio sat down at the kitchen table with their breakfast. Tears were still falling from the child's eyes, but his heavy sobbing had ceased for the most part. Still, he only picked at the chunk of bread Armin had ripped off for him as he, understandably enough, didn't have much of an appetite. Armin and Annie ate slowly and quietly, watching him to be sure he didn't have another breakdown.

"Sweetheart," Armin said gently, "can you tell us why you came here?"

The little boy sniffed pathetically and rubbed his eyes. "Daddy and Papa are fighting."

"Was it just an argument, or was it a real fight?"

The child's lip trembled. "A real fight. Daddy and Papa don't agree sometimes, but they never…scream at each other."

Armin got up, pulled a handkerchief from a nearby drawer, and handed it to the boy. "Here, dry your eyes." He waited for him to do so before continuing. "Can you tell us what they were fighting about? They weren't fighting in front of you, were they?"

The boy shook his head. "I was sleeping and they woke me up, so I didn't hear how the fight started."

Armin bit his lip. "Well, do you remember anything about it?"

The child nodded. "Papa had a meeting with a bunch of Survey Corps people yesterday. He was taking a long time, and, when he finally left, he looked angry and tired."

The blond reeled back slightly.  _I didn't know we had a meeting yesterday. But…wait, he said that only Levi was there, so Eren must not have been invited either. Why in the world…? We're all veteran Survey Corps soldiers! Ugh, what is the Commander thinking?_

"Um, we didn't talk about it last night," the little boy continued. "Last night I, uh, I got lost. And I didn't wanna talk after Daddy and Papa found me, so they just tucked me into bed. I don't know, they might have talked about it last night, but the first thing I heard was…" The tears starting welling up in his eyes again. "…Papa screaming."

_"NO, IT'S NOT HAPPENING."_

_The sound of Papa's angry voice suddenly woke me. I was hugging my plush toy, but I was still scared. I had never heard Papa sound that angry before. I mean, I've seen him angry. One time I broke the memorial for his soldier friends, and he got very angry at me. But his voice this time was more than just angry. He sounded like he was about to cry, too._

_Daddy started shouting, too, as I got out of bed, still hugging my toy, and quietly walked to the top of the staircase. It was weird to hear them so loud so early in the morning. It was still before I normally wake up, but there was no way I could fall back asleep after this. All I could do was sit at the top of the stairs and listen._

_It got worse._

_"Why the hell are you agreeing with this?!" Papa shouted. "No, this is stupid, this is a suicide mission! I don't CARE what that idiot Commander says, there is no way IN HELL we are going through with this expedition."_

_"But we need to know just how good our winning streak is!" Daddy shouted back. "Just because we haven't seen any Titans close to the Walls in the past few years doesn't mean it's safe for humanity to make permanent settlements outside the Walls yet. We need to go on this expedition so we can see just how much land we've recovered!"_

_My eyes widened. I had played Survey Corps Expedition plenty of times before, but this was the real thing. Daddy and Papa and the rest of the Survey Corps were going outside the Walls. Again._

_I hate it. I hate expeditions. I hate being without Daddy and Papa. I play Survey Corps Expedition at home so that everything can be good and happy. My soldier toys always win against the bad Titan dolls, and no one ever gets hurt. Why can't expeditions be like that for real? Why don't the Titans just leave us alone? We never did anything to them._

_"WE'RE JUST SUPPOSED TO KEEP GOING UNTIL WE FIND ONE," Papa shouted. I heard him kick something. "Do you have any idea of how long we could be out there? Days! Weeks! I'm not staying out that long, not when we only have so many supply stations set up. What if we have to continue past our furthest supply station? Then what?"_

_"Then we'll set up a new one!"_

_"IT'S NOT THAT EASY, YOU DAMN IDIOT."_

_I cringed. Papa did call Daddy names sometimes, but he never meant anything mean. This time it sounded like he was trying to be mean._

_I heard Daddy snort. "So I'm a damn idiot, huh?" he asked. "I may be an idiot, but I'm still at least a soldier, not some coward. When I salute, I mean it."_

_"What…the hell."_

_Papa's voice sent a shiver down my spine._

_"You heard me," Daddy spat. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes to eradicate the Titans, to help humanity win. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to give our son A LIFE WITHOUT TITANS, A TRULY FREE LIFE. I didn't know that Humanity's Strongest DIDN'T GIVE A CRAP ABOUT HIS SON'S FUTURE."_

_And then the screaming started. Papa and Daddy screamed so loud and so much that I thought they were going to lose their voices. I heart stuff being knocked over, too, and I heard something break on the floor. I was already crying by then, and it only got worse when I heard stomping towards the front door. Papa screamed some terrible words at Daddy, words I don't want to repeat._

_And then…_

_"I'M LEAVING. I DON'T HAVE TO PUT UP WITH THIS."_

_I watched Papa slam the front door behind him, and I heard Daddy scream the terrible words, too. He then walked out the back door and slammed it behind him._

_I didn't know what else to do. I was crying and shaking and felt like I was gonna be sick. I left my toy on the stairs and ran down to the front door._

The child rubbed his teary eyes. "I'm sorry I came so early in the morning, Uncle Armin, but I didn't know where else to go! I know where your house is, so I came here."

Armin's heart broke at the sight and the story. Yes, Eren was hot tempered and had a tendency to shout when it was completely uncalled for, but his fight with Levi sounded so real and so intense. He worried for their relationship and for their son's mind.

He was about to speak when Annie cleared her throat. "You know," she said gently, "even the closest people fight sometimes."

The little boy turned to her with curious, watery eyes.

"People who love each other fight. It's normal. Even if two people love each other very much, they're still individuals who could have different opinions. It's also normal for a disagreement to turn into a fight if the two people are very passionate about the reason for the disagreement. Both your daddy and papa are very passionate about their jobs. They fight to get rid of Titans and make the world safe for humans, but they do it in different ways because they have different personalities. Your papa is smart and keeps a level head no matter what. He likes to plan what he's going to do and then act instinctively when he needs to. Your daddy is wild and determined, so he usually rushes in and acts purely on instinct, doing whatever it takes to achieve his goal. Your parents are two very different people, but they love each other very much, and they work well together."

She paused to take a sip of tea. The two males kept their wide eyes on her, silently waiting in anticipation for her to continue.

"Even people who are very similar fight sometimes," she said as she set her teacup down. "Aunt Sasha and Uncle Connie are both fun, caring people, but I'm sure they have their arguments, too. I know for a fact that Aunt Ymir and Aunt Historia disagree a lot, but they're always looking out for each other. And it's not limited to married couples. Uncle Bertholdt always tries to avoid fights, but that in itself sometimes causes them with Uncle Reiner. And, you know, Uncle Armin and I don't agree on everything. But it's not limited to couples either. Friends and family fight, too. Aunt Hanji and your papa are very good friends, but they fight all the time. Aunt Mikasa and your daddy are close family, and they disagree nearly every time they speak to each other. Sometimes the fights can get bad, like what you saw, but what's important is that the people apologize to each other and make up. Making up is actually a symbol of how close two people are; it says that, no matter how much two people fight, they still want to be together."

After another long pause, Annie spoke again.

"Tell me, little man, did you hear or see your daddy or papa hit the other person?"

"No!" the child cried, tearing up at just the thought. "No, no! I heard stuff fall over, but Daddy and Papa didn't sound like they were in pain."

Annie and Armin both exhaled sighs of relief. "Thank goodness."

The little boy fidgeted with his fingers for a few seconds, contemplating Annie's words. They made sense to him, although he was still quite shaken. Even if arguing was something that everyone did, he still didn't like it. Specifically, he didn't like the thought of his daddy and papa fighting so much that they felt they had to be apart. Maybe that was the best way for them to calm down, but he still didn't like it.

"Hey, Uncle Armin?"

"Hmm?"

"I also came here because I wanted to ask you something."

"What?"

"I'm still learning how to read, so I don't know how to write yet. Could you help me write something please?"

* * *

Eren sat at the kitchen table and stared into his tea cup. The liquid inside was still warm despite how long ago he had made it, but it didn't appeal to him at all. It was the wrong color, had the wrong aroma, and - _sip_ \- ugh, the wrong taste. Eren grimaced as he swallowed the drink and set the cup down, heaving a great sigh.

"Just as I thought," he murmured, "I can only drink it when Levi makes it."

He stood and put the cup in the kitchen sink, a solemn expression on his face as he made his way to the stairs. Levi had been gone for only about an hour, but Eren was already feeling lost without him. He had surprised himself with how quickly he had calmed down, instantly regretting everything he had said the moment Levi had slammed the front door. His frown deepened when he passed that very door and started climbing the stairs, wondering when his beloved husband would come back and fearing that perhaps he never would.

When Eren reached the top of the stairs his plush Titan lookalike greeted him with its usual happy smile and widespread arms, inviting the man into a hug. Eren couldn't help the small smile that crept onto his face. Not many people had the chance to give themselves hugs.

But then a thought struck him.

"Hey, ba-?" He went to knock on his son's bedroom door, but it was open. When he looked inside, the room was quiet. He touched the sheets on the unmade bed, and his eyes widened. They were cold. He threw the toy on the bed and ran into the bathroom, but it was empty, too. Not knowing what else to do, he rushed down the stairs and checked every room in the house, calling for his son.

Nothing.

"Oh god," Eren croaked, fear and panic bubbling in his stomach and making his entire body tremble. "Oh my god, no, no, not again, not after last night." He ran from the dining room back into the living room, and, the moment he crossed to the closet to retrieve his coat, the front door opened.

There stood Levi, face remorseful.

"Eren," he said quietly as he shut the door behind him, "I wa…wait, what's wrong?" His tone changed when he noticed his husband's distressed expression.

Eren swallowed hard and panted quietly. "…He's missing."

"What?"

"Our son. Our son is missing."

Levi's eyes burst open, and he rushed forward, grabbing Eren by the collar. "I LEAVE FOR LESS THAN AN HOUR AND YOU GO AND LOSE OUR KID?!" he shouted into the younger's face, voice filled with rage, his remorse forgotten. "YOU STUPID-ASS PIECE OF-!"

_Knock knock!_

Levi practically threw Eren to the side and slammed the front door open, relief flooding his entire being. There stood Armin and his son.

"Good morning, Levi, I believe this belongs to you," Armin chirped, smiling cheerfully and gently pushing the little boy inside.

Levi could barely believe his eyes. He knelt down and pulled his son into a hug. "Where did you find him?" he breathed, looking up at the blond.

Armin laughed quietly. "He found me. He decided to pay me a visit this morning, so we had breakfast and a little writing lesson together. It was rather nice, but I told him that he should bring you and Eren next time so we can all have fun together. Right, sweetheart?"

The little boy glanced upwards and nodded.

Armin nodded back. "Well then, I should be going. See you all later." He waved once and turned, closing the door behind him. He then turned to the side and smiled gently. "You know, the more you show up doing good things, the more Levi will trust you."

Annie shrugged. "This wasn't about me."

"Well, what you said earlier was pretty amazing."

"I was just telling the truth."

Armin reached one hand out. "I know. But it was a truth we all needed to hear."

For the first time all day, Annie let a little smile play on her face. She took Armin's hand, and the two headed back to his home.

* * *

"Why in the world did you leave the house without telling us?!"

Eren and Levi knelt down in front of their son, who sat on the living room couch fiddling with a folded up piece of paper in his hands. The boy's bottom lip trembled as he looked away from his parents both out of shame and fear. Eren and Levi watched him carefully, looking more united in that moment than they had all day so far.

"You…" the boy mumbled, tears building up in his eyes, "…you guys fought this morning. That's why I went to Uncle Armin's house."

Levi paled and Eren's eyes widened. "I thought you slept through that," the latter said.

The child shook his head. "I heard some of it, and I watched Papa leave."

A brick of guilt dropped into Levi's stomach, and he felt like he was going to be sick.

"I went to Uncle Armin's house because I know where it is and because I thought he could help me," the boy continued, looking down and unfolding the paper in his hands. He eventually revealed a drawing of what was obviously his parents wearing suits, but they were special suits. Eren was wearing a black one with a white shirt, and Levi was wearing a white one with a black shirt. On their heads were flower crowns complete with short veils. They were holding hands and smiling, but it was what was written over their heads that made the two grown men openly cry.

_Until The Stars Fall_

"That's what's written inside your wedding rings, right?" the little boy asked shakily, fresh tears beginning to run down his cheeks. "Well, the stars haven't fallen yet, so-"

He was cut off when both of his parents wrapped their arms around him, and all three of them cried together.

* * *

The Jaeger household was quiet for the rest of the day. Eren and Levi spent nearly all of it together, just sitting together and enjoying each other's company. The topic of the upcoming expedition beyond the Walls could wait just a little longer. Their son had apologized for leaving the house on his own without telling them, and they had forgiven him, but he still spent the rest of the day in his room as a fair punishment. This didn't bother the child, as he was just happy to have a peaceful house again, knowing that his daddy and papa were still in love and were going to stay together.

And also because another masterpiece had been added to his little art gallery in the kitchen.


	19. Heaven Story

When the little boy woke up the next morning, he was reluctant to get out of bed. He rubbed his eyes and sat up so he could watch the door, but nothing happened. Even after a few minutes, nothing. He bit his lip and thought back to what he had been told the night before.

_"When we come wake you up tomorrow morning, your punishment will be over."_

The child sighed and hugged his knees to his chest. "This usually around the time Daddy or Papa wakes me up. Where are they?"

After a few more minutes, the little boy grew impatient and bold. He hopped out of bed, slowly opened the door, and looked into the hallway, but he still saw nothing. As quietly as he could, he tip-toed across the hall, opened his parents' bedroom door just a crack, and peeked inside.

His daddy and papa were still sleeping, wrapped in the heavy winter blankets that came up to their chins and snuggled up against one another. The bed faced the door, and, normally, Levi slept on the right side while Eren slept on the left, but they lay tangled up in the middle that morning. Eren's arms completely encircled Levi, who used one of them as a pillow while he rested his hands against Eren's broad chest. The room was silent save for their light, synchronized breathing.

The little boy giggled quietly.  _Papa's so tiny,_ he thought.  _He looks like Daddy's stuffed animal!_ He gently shut the door and headed back into his own room, realizing that neither one of his parents was going to be awake for a while.

One of Levi's eyes cracked open, and he smirked. "You're lucky you're cute."

He heard Eren let out a low groan. "Levi…?"

"Shh," the shorter hushed him, pressing a kiss to his collar bone, "go back to sleep, we're all sleeping in today."

"Mmm…I'm sorry, Levi, I love you…"

Levi's smirk turned into a soft smile, and he snuggled impossibly closer. "I know, you must have said it fifty times last night, and the same goes for me. I'm sorry, too, and I love you, too."

But Eren was already back asleep.

Levi rolled his eyes and then shut them, relaxing against his husband and feeling himself fall back into a peaceful sleep. "You're lucky you're cute, too."

* * *

The next few days passed quietly and a bit too quickly for Levi's liking. Life returned to normal for the most part. Games were played, meals were eaten, and peaceful nights' sleeps were had. If nothing else, the Jaeger household was free from fights, but the littlest member of the family still knew that something was wrong. The tense, contemplative glances his parents sent each other and the oddly pensive mood at the dining table didn't go unnoticed.

And then, even though the news had already made its rounds, the official announcement about the expedition came. Levi stood with the other high-ranking officials as they explained the mission to the Survey Corps with Eren, the rest of the veteran soldiers, and the newbies standing at attention in the crowd. Eren kept his firm yet uneasy gaze on Levi the whole time, and, while Levi couldn't wholeheartedly return it, he occasionally glanced his husband's way. Their son waited with Sasha inside the base, far enough away that neither of them could hear.

Even Eren had to admit that the whole thing was starting to sound suspicious. The Survey Corps was to go outside the Walls and go as far as they possibly could, keeping detailed records of Titan sightings. None had been seen close to the Walls for quite some time, so the purpose of the expedition was to see how far out humans could settle. It sounded simple enough, but even the newbies whispered amongst themselves about how strange it also sounded.

As soon as the soldiers were dismissed, Eren rushed towards the stage and met Levi there once he jumped down. Neither one said anything. They just linked hands and walked into the base.

Their son's face brightened as soon as they saw him. "Daddy, Papa!" he cheered, jumping off a couch and running to them. They put on small smiles for him, and they untangled their hands so Eren could wrap his around their son's. Connie was right behind them, and Sasha greeted him once he was in sight.

"Thank you for looking after him," Levi said.

Sasha nodded. "It's no trouble at all. He was perfectly behaved." Her smile widened a bit when she saw the look of pride on the little boy's face, and she continued, "Do you need a babysitter during the expedition? I'll look after him."

"You sure?" Eren asked. "All by yourself?"

"I just said that he's perfectly behaved! And, hey, I could use the practice." She grinned and pat her growing baby belly.

The corners of Levi's mouth twitched, almost like he was about to frown, but he stopped himself and managed to keep a faintly happy expression. He already knew that Eren had noticed it. "How are you feeling?"

Sasha didn't seem to notice his mood change. "Great! I haven't been ill at all."

Connie snorted. "Too bad you're craving the weirdest crap ever."

"Hey, don't tell them!"

Eren laughed and Levi let an amused sigh escape his lips. "Why are we not surprised?"

* * *

Another few days passed until only two days were left until the expedition. The bleak mood in the Jaeger household only worsened to the point that the little boy living there barely left his room that morning. Levi had to call him for breakfast twice before Eren went upstairs and ushered him to the dining room table, desperately wanting to ask what was wrong but already knowing the answer.

Levi, however kind and caring he was as a parent, never sugar-coated anything. "Baby, Daddy and I are go-"

"I already know where you're going."

Levi's eyes narrowed. "Don't you dare talk back to me, young man."

"Levi!" Eren interrupted, staring down his husband with understanding yet begging eyes. He basked in the momentary silence before saying, "Let's not add any extra stress to all of this. We're all scared. We're all dreading this, even if it is our job. Let's cut each other some slack." He glanced at their son. "That goes for you, too. Papa and I don't want to leave, but we have to."

"No, you DON'T have to!" the little boy suddenly sobbed, throwing his spoon into his bowl and slamming his fists down on the table. Tears were rolling down his cheeks in an instant. "Get someone else to go! There are other people in the Survey Corps, make them go! I want Papa and Daddy to stay home! Stay home and play with ME!"

Levi wanted to yell, but the crushed look of despondence on his son's face made his heart shatter and his resolve crumble. He immediately picked the child up and hugged him as he settled the boy in his lap, not caring that tears were staining his shirt. Eren watched them and wiped his own eyes, hoping that perhaps Levi hadn't noticed that he was starting to tear up.

The shorter exhaled a long breath and started rubbing the little boy's back. "We have to go, baby," he said gently and calmly, his voice actually soothing the boy despite the harsh, true words he was speaking. "Yes, there are a lot of people in the Survey Corps, and, when it's time for an expedition, all of us have to go, especially the two of us. If we don't go, it'll be bad for morale. Basically, the other soldiers won't want to fight. You know that people call Daddy 'Humanity's Hope,' right?"

"And Papa is Humanity's Strongest," Eren added quietly, still sitting across from Levi. "Baby, if you were going on an expedition and knew that the two strongest soldiers weren't coming with you, you'd be even more scared than you were originally, right?"

Both parents waited for the sobs to die down into hiccups, and, eventually, the boy nodded. He kept his arms wrapped around Levi's neck and kept resting his head on the man's shoulder though, not ready to let go just yet. Levi didn't mind, as he was just happy that they had been able to get through to him. He kissed the boy's forehead and said, "We should have been more honest with you from the beginning, and, for that, we are sorry. We know you're not a little baby anymore, even though you'll always be our baby."

The child sniffed pathetically. "I'm not stupid, Papa, I know what you've been talking about since your fight."

"You're right, you're not stupid, and we're very sorry that we treated you like you were."

"But, you gotta understand, baby," Eren sighed, "even though you're growing up, you're still a little kid, and there are some things that only adults should know about. If we had a choice between you knowing all the details of a dangerous expedition or you playing happily with your toys in your room, we'd rather you play with your toys. Do you understand?"

After a moment of contemplation, the boy nodded. "Just come home safe please," he murmured as he visibly relaxed in his papa's arms. "And play with me before you go."

For the first time in days, Levi and Eren both genuinely smiled. "I think we can handle that."

* * *

That night, after a long day of fun play, the child dreamed.

_The little boy stood in a field of what looked like white, fluffy clouds. They were oddly solid enough to support him but also light and airy enough to gently float around his feet. He sat on his knees and pulled at the cotton-like clouds, tossing them into the air and giggling as they danced around him before falling back into place. White flower petals soon mixed with the clouds, creating a sort of garden against the bright, blue sky up above. The child eventually rolled off his knees and lay down on the soft clouds, discovering that they were actually quite warm, the perfect place to take a nap._

_"Mind if I join you?"_

_The little boy sat back up and looked into the eyes of a beautiful woman. She smiled kindly at him and sat down next to him, her long skirt fanning out gracefully around her._

_Surprisingly enough, the child wasn't afraid. Yes, the woman was a stranger, but she seemed oddly familiar, and she was definitely nice. He smiled back at her, as he had a feeling that he could trust her. "I like this place," he said. "It's fun and pretty."_

_"Isn't it?" she sighed, tucking some of her chocolate brown hair behind her ears. "I wish I could bring my son here."_

_The boy frowned. "Why can't you?"_

_"He's very far away right now," the woman explained, still smiling. "He won't be able to come here for a long time, but that's alright. That's the way it's supposed to be. He's very happy where he is right now, and I have no right to take him away from what makes him happy. All any good parent wants is to see their child happy."_

_The boy was silent for a few seconds, contemplating this, and then said, "That means your son hasn't seen you in a long time, too, right? If I didn't see my daddy and papa for a very long time, I'd be very sad. I don't think I could be happy without them."_

_The woman giggled. "My son has been very lucky; he found new friends to keep him company until we can see each other again."_

_The boy suddenly smiled. "I can tell him that you're waiting for him if you want!" he offered, taking the woman's hand. "Where does he live? I'll have my papa and daddy take me there after they get home from their ex…expe…?"_

_"Expedition?"_

_"Yeah, that!"_

_The woman giggled again. "That's very nice of you, but you don't have to. Thank you though. How about you tell your daddy and papa that I hope they come back from their expedition safely?"_

_"Okay, I will! What's your name?"_

The child's eyes burst open only to see a well-lit bedroom. Morning had arrived and it looked like it was going to be a beautiful day. There was only one day of February left, so the last of the winter weather was starting to turn into spring, obvious in the bright sun and nearly-melted snow outside. For the first time in months, the little bedroom actually felt warm without the heat from the pipes connected to the fireplace downstairs.

The child threw the blankets off himself and ran out of his room, across the hallway, and into his parents' room. He stopped for just a moment to admire their sleeping position. Eren was on his back on his side of the bed, and Levi was snuggled up next to him, his head cradled in the crook of Eren's neck and one arm slung over the taller's chest. Underneath the blankets, one of Eren's arms was protectively nestled against Levi's side. The scene made the child grin as he ran to Eren's side and tugged on his free arm. "Daddy, Daddy!"

Eren let out a big yawn and used that free hand to rub his eyes open. His movements caused Levi to stir, and, soon enough, both of them were awake. Eren looked to his side to see his son grinning up at him, and he couldn't help but smile back. "Good morning, baby. You're up awfully early, you sleep okay?"

The child nodded. "I had a dream about a really beautiful woman last night!"

Eren let out a little laugh. "Really now?"

"Uh-huh! And she kinda looked like you!"

Now Eren was fully awake. He froze for a moment, and his eyes widened. Levi saw his sudden mood change and sat up, running his hand through his hair (which never seemed to suffer from bed head) and keeping his eyes on their son. Eren was quick to follow (although his hair often and currently suffered from bed head), sitting up straight in bed, picking their son up, and settling him in his lap. "Is that so…"

The child nodded again. "She had long, shiny hair and big, pretty eyes. She had a really sweet smile and was really nice to me. She said that she hadn't seen her son in a really long time but that it was okay because he's really happy where he is, and that makes her happy. She's gonna keep waiting for him though. Oh, and she hopes you and Papa come back safely from your expe…expedi…? Hmm…expedition, yeah, that's it! She hopes you come back safely from your expedition! She wanted me to tell you."

Eren smiled weakly and quickly wiped his eyes. Levi glanced at him and knew that he'd lose control over his emotions if he spoke, so the shorter smiled and said, "That was very kind of her. It sounds like maybe a guardian angel visited you last night."

The little boy suddenly let out a surprised yelp and said, "Ah, that's right, I forgot to tell you about them!"

"Huh?"

"The people who helped me on the night I got lost!"

Now it was Levi's turn to feel overwhelmed.

"There were six of them," the boy explained. "Five in the Survey Corps and one in the Garrison. Let's see, this one guy in the Survey Corps was really tall and had blond hair and said that he could smell me crying, I dunno, sounds weird. And then he had four friends from the Survey Corps. Um, one guy had dark skin and dark hair, another guy had blond hair that was tied back, another guy kinda dressed like you, Papa, with that thing you wear around your neck, and there was a really cute lady there, too! They all said that they knew you really well. Do you know who I'm talking about?"

Eren stared wide-eyed at his husband, mouth agape and utterly speechless. Levi paid him no mind. The shorter just nodded, smiled gently, and said, "I know exactly who they are. Next time I see them I'll thank them."

"Oh! And there was the one from the Garrison, too! He said he knew you really well, Daddy, he even knew our last name! Um, let's see, he was kinda tall I guess, and he had blond hair and a mustache. And, um, he said something about a freckled kid getting all the good drinks and that he wanted you to buy Hannes a drink sometime, Daddy. I dunno, is Hannes a friend of yours?"

Eren swallowed hard and managed a nod. "Heh, don't worry about that, baby. I know who he is, and I'll be sure to thank him and buy him a drink next time we go out."

The child giggled, a triumphant grin lighting up his face.

* * *

Too bad all this happiness had to end, as the day ended all too quickly.

Ymir clutched Historia close to her as if trying to shield her from the world with her body. The little blonde hugged back as they stood in their kitchen, the last of the dishes from their late dinner drying in the sink.

"Ymi-"

"You're my first priority, you know."

The brunette pulled away so she could cup Historia's delicate face.

"Always. I don't give a crap about anyone else. Tomorrow and the entire time we're gone I'll be focusing entirely on protecting you."

And Historia knew there was no way she could change her mind.

* * *

Bertholdt sat on the bed he and Reiner shared with his knees clutched to his chest as he waited for his lover to change into pajamas. The brunet stared down at the soft, white sheets beneath his bare feet and said, "It's weird, I'm not nervous."

"Hmm?"

"The stupidest crap makes me nervous. I can go outside the Walls and fight and deceive people without batting an eye. But somehow holding your hand in public makes me feel like I'm going to faint."

Reiner sighed as he tugged a loose-fitting shirt over his head. He then hopped onto the bed, wrapped his arms around Bertholdt, and placed a light kiss on the other man's tan neck. "Don't think about that right now," he murmured as he planted more kisses. "All that matters right now is that we go out there tomorrow and show everyone just how much we're on humanity's side. Once we come back home we can practice holding hands in public if you want."

Bertholdt reached out and placed his hand over Reiner's, giving the blond a little smile. "Only if we can hold them here throughout the night."

Reiner grinned into the neck. "Deal."

* * *

_Knock knock!_

After a few seconds Armin opened his front door and let out a little gasp. "Annie? I haven't seen you since…"

"Since the little guy came running here two weeks ago, I know, sorry, I've been busy."

Armin smiled. "Too bad we don't have much time, the Survey Corps is leaving tomorrow."

"Pfft," Annie scoffed, pushing the blond back into the house and throwing the backpack she had brought with her on the floor, "plenty of time."

* * *

Mikasa placed the last of her essentials into her supply bag and tied the fastener into a knot to keep them all secure. She left the bag by her front door for easy access the next morning and then headed into the kitchen for a bedtime glass of water. Once she was satisfied, she headed into her bedroom, changed into her pajamas, blew out her candle, and immediately went to sleep. She was the kind of person who slept soundly through the night, mostly because she never felt alone. She had plenty of pictures of her family and friends in her room to keep her company.

* * *

"It won't be the same without you."

Sasha snuggled up next to her husband in bed and wiped a tear away before it could roll down the side of her face. She rested her head on Connie's chest and said, "Just come home safely, okay? Oh man, I'm going to be worried sick about you the entire time. I hope my little house guest doesn't notice."

Connie kissed the top of her head. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. There's no way in hell I'm dying before I get to see our baby's face."

Sasha clutched at the fabric of his nightshirt and hoped he was right.

* * *

Jean poured a strong-smelling, dark amber liquid into a cup in the center of his kitchen table.

"I don't know when I'll be back, so don't drink it all at once."

He somehow resisted the urge to chug what remained in the large bottle.

* * *

Eren poured a little bit of a clear, sweet-smelling liquid into a considerably smaller cup, a smile spreading across his face as he did so. He set the cup in the center of the dining table and said, "That's all you get for now, you drunken good-for-nothing. Heh, who would have thought that a loser like you would actually be helpful for once?" He paused for a few seconds and then said, "Thanks. I mean it, Hannes, thank you. If you see my mom, tell her I say thanks to her, too. You guys are turning out to be great guardian angels."

Eren then put the liquor away, picked up his candle, and made his way upstairs to the master bedroom, where Levi was observing himself in the mirror. It was well into the evening, so their son was asleep. Eren only hoped that the boy would stay asleep throughout the night as he wrapped his big arms around Levi from behind and kissed the top of his head. "How have you been feeling?"

Levi shrugged. "Normal. Everything looks normal, too."

Eren sighed. "Le-"

"I know, okay?" the shorter interrupted, letting out a long groan. "Don't lecture me, you stupid brat, I know how pathetic I am for being jealous of your idiot friends. I'm just frustrated. We've been trying every night for the past month and still…"

Eren kissed the top of his head again. "When we get back from this expedition we'll ask the midwife or maybe even Hanji about it."

Levi leaned back into Eren's embrace. "I just want another baby so bad…"

Eren smiled. "Trust me, you're not alone." He planted a few more kisses on Levi's head before moving down to his neck and shoulders. After a few minutes of planting sweet kisses there, Eren kneeled down and picked his husband up, grinning victoriously. "Want to try one more time before we go?"

Levi couldn't help the smile that spread across his face as he let Eren carry him to their bed. "C'mere, you."


	20. Expedition Story, Part 1

_My daddy and papa have a very important job. Sometimes they need to leave me behind for a little while so they can do that job._

_They never let me stand outside with the rest of the townspeople when they leave to go on expeditions, and they never let me wave to them as they rush beyond the Walls on their horses. Every time they have to go, they leave me with a babysitter and make me promise not to look out the window when they leave and when they return. My sitter always knows this, too, so I can't even sneak a peek. I know that they do this to protect me, but I wish I could see them for as long as possible before they leave, since they're often gone for a long time._

_Now that I'm a little older, I know how hard it is for Survey Corps soldiers to have families. The loved ones they leave behind are always waiting for them to return, and I know that some of them won't. No matter how much Daddy and Papa try to shield me from the truth, I know that Titans roam outside the Walls, and I know that Daddy and Papa have seen them eat people._

_I know there's always a chance that one or both of them won't come back alive._

The walk to Connie and Sasha's house on that early morning was tensely silent. Eren carried his little boy in his big, warm arms the entire way, and the child never once let go or even remotely moved his arms from around his daddy's neck. His head rested on Eren's shoulder the entire way so he could look down at his papa, who carried a big box full of toys and clothes. Sitting at the top of the box was the child's favorite toy, but he hated it on that morning. He hated how it looked at him with big, bright eyes and how it smiled that same stupid smile it always had on its ridiculously happy face.

Stupid toy. There was nothing to smile about.

A pause in motion and the sound of a knock on a door made the child gasp, shut his eyes to the point that he nearly gave himself a headache, and tighten his grip on his daddy's neck. Eren immediately brought his free hand to the boy's back, but there wasn't much time, as Sasha opened the door only a few seconds later.

"…Good morning," she said quietly.

"Good morning," Eren said back, but he made no move to let go of the boy in his arms. "Where's Connie?"

"He left already."

"Oh."

The conversation was going nowhere, so Levi took over. "There are enough clothes in here to last him a week." He lifted the box in his arms for emphasis. "His favorite toys are in here, too. In general, he takes a bath and goes to bed around eight. He's typically a good eater, but he's a little picky with green vegetables. Remember that he's shy with strangers, so he might not want to go out and play right away. And-"

"Levi," Eren interrupted, biting his lip, "we already told Sasha this after she offered to babysit a week ago."

Levi shook his head lightly, eyes slightly wider than usual. "Oh right, sorry," he murmured, "um, where should I put this?" He lifted the box again.

"Oh, the living room is fine for now," Sasha replied. "Don't worry, I'll take his clothes into the guest room later."

Levi nodded and did as instructed as Eren got to his knees. The boy in his arms instinctively clutched his neck even tighter and wrapped his legs around his torso. Eren couldn't help his own hands gripping his son's little body in a desperate attempt to stay close to him for as long as possible. Every second counted.

He took a deep breath. "Baby-"

"No."

Eren could feel his heart shatter.

Levi returned to them and got on his knees as well, not caring about the dirt from their boots tracked on the floor. It could wait, he had more pressing matters. "Listen to us," he murmured softly, rubbing the child's back. "We won't be gone forever. The moment we come back to the Walls we'll come pick you up, we promise. We have to go, baby. C'mon, you're wearing your own Survey Corps outfit, so you need to do your part, too."

It was true. The child was wearing the costume Levi had made for him before their battle with the Tickle Titan. He had put it on at Levi's suggestion that morning in an attempt to make him feel a little braver about letting his parents go. Those kinds of things were always easier said than done, but the child did loosen his grip around Eren's neck and put his feet on the ground. Eren still held him, but his grip loosened a bit as well. Sasha watched the whole scene with teary eyes, and she instinctively put a hand over her belly.

Suddenly Eren smiled. "Don't worry, baby, we're gonna be okay. We'll come home soon, but I get the feeling you won't wanna go home. You'll be having too much fun with Aunt Sasha! Aunt Sasha is a really fun person, right? I bet she knows all sorts of games, and I'm sure she'd love it if you shared your toys with her. Why don't you make up a scene with your new toy soldiers and your blocks and tell her a story with them?"

Sasha's face immediately brightened, and she nodded excitedly. "Oh yes, I'd love to hear one of your stories, sweetie! We could even write a story together!"

"And there's no doubt in my mind that you'll eat lots of really yummy food while you're here," Eren added. "Aunt Sasha will probably spoil you rotten and cook meat for dinner every night."

"Oh darn!" Sasha said in mock disappointment as she snapped her fingers. "You figured out my plans, Eren! Guilty as charged!"

Even Levi had to smirk at that one before saying, "And you know what else? If you're really lucky, the baby might kick, and Aunt Sasha might let you feel her tummy."

That did it. The little boy finally lifted his head up from Eren's shoulder and glanced at Levi. His eyes still weren't the vibrant shade of green they usually were, as they were still tinged with sadness, but they also had a sort of hopeful look. After a few seconds of staring at his papa, the boy finally nodded. "Okay."

Eren sighed heavily out of relief. "That's our boy," he said. "Alright, we need a big hug and lots of kisses to last the time we're gone, okay?" He gave his son a final long squeeze of a hug and planted several long kisses on the boy's forehead. "I love you, baby, we both do," he said right before giving him one last kiss.

The child then immediately turned and clung to Levi. The raven wrapped his arms around the boy and just held him close for a few seconds before giving him a few light kisses. The child whimpered and snuggled as close as he could, but he didn't rest his head on Levi's shoulder the way he had done with Eren. Instead, he dropped his head and listened to his papa's steady heartbeat, dreading the moment when Levi pulled away to give him a long kiss on the forehead.

"Be good," he whispered, lips still pressed against the child's head. "Daddy and I love you more than anyone or anything else in the entire world. Remember that." He gave the boy one more kiss and then stood, still hanging onto the child's little hand. "See you soon."

"…Bye-bye."

Levi's hand slipped from his, the door closed, and the child and Sasha were left alone.

"…Aunt Sasha?"

"What is it, sweetie?"

"I'm sleepy."

Sasha managed a smile. "That's to be expected, it's still early in the morning after all. Come on, let me show you your room." She took the boy's hand and led him into a small room next to the master bedroom, furnished with a medium-sized bed and a dresser. It was a little empty, but the boy knew why.

"This is gonna be the baby's room, right?"

Sasha nodded. "Yup, in about five more months." She lifted the blankets so the child could climb in. Once he was settled, she went to give him a kiss when they both heard the bells toll outside, their only indication that the gate had risen and that the soldiers were off. Sasha paused, bit her lip, and then tried to kiss him, but the boy turned away from her and lifted the blankets high above his head.

* * *

Around noon, Sasha knocked on the bedroom door, carrying a tray with a roll and a bowl of soup on it. She frowned when she heard no response. "Sweetie, are you hungry?" she asked. "I made you some turnip and leek soup…oh, I guess I should have asked if you like them. Um…there's plenty of bread! And I have some carrots if you want those! Or you could just have bread if you want, I guess. Um, sweetie? Are you listening to me?" She pressed her ear against the door.

A whimper.

"…It'll be out here if you want it!"

When she returned to the door after her own lunch about an hour later, the tray was still there. Untouched.

* * *

_Tick, tock, tick, tock…_

Sasha was getting restless. Not only had her little houseguest not come out of his room all day, but she also hated being cooped up in the house with nothing to do. The thought of actually wanting to go out on the expedition with the rest of the Survey Corps seemed quite ironic to her as she sat in the living room knitting that afternoon. Her mind wandered to what all of her friends were doing so much that she didn't even know what she was making anymore. What had started out as a hat was now some odd napkin with a few stitches coming loose and an off-center pompom. With a frustrated snort she threw her project on the floor. "I'll have to get Mikasa or Historia to teach me how to sew and knit properly," she sighed, leaning back in her chair.

She couldn't help but think of her husband and all their friends. What was Connie doing right now?  _Hopefully still going straight forward and not encountering any Titans,_  she thought as she lightly shut her eyes. She couldn't rest though. She hated to admit it, but she honestly missed being part of the Survey Corps and going out on expeditions. She actually missed the thrill of the hunt and the adrenaline that would pump through her veins every time she encountered prey. She missed thinking up strategies on the spot and going for the kill at the opportune moment. There was no greater feeling in the world to a hunter than returning home with a great bounty, and, while she certainly had an important job now, she couldn't help the sad feeling of nostalgia slowly taking over her thoughts.

_Weird, when I was a kid, I was dead set against joining the Survey Corps,_ she thought, letting out a long sigh.  _I was terrified, especially after Marco died. I didn't want to face those monsters again. And I had the nerve to call myself a hunter? When I was nothing more than the scared prey hiding from the real hunters? Ugh, of course, I finally get to call myself a hunter for real only to have to stay at home while everyone else hunts. This sucks. Hey, baby, when you're born, you're gonna be a hunting carnivore, you understand? And, whatever you do, don't eat a potato in front of your aunts and uncles._

A creak coming from the other side of the house snapped Sasha out of her daydream. Her eyes shot open, and she immediately got up just in time to see her little houseguest peeking out from the hallway. Relief flooded her senses. At least the kid was up and walking around.

"Hi, sweetie," she greeted, genuinely happy to see him, "what's up?"

The little boy looked down at the floor before murmuring, "I'm hungry."

"That's no problem!" Sasha declared as she walked into the nearby kitchen. "I don't mind having an early dinner. Do you want some bread to hold you over until I finish cooking?" She smiled when the boy nodded and walked towards her. Luckily, even though the soup from lunch had gone cold (she had eaten it anyway, might as well not waste it), the roll was still good, so she passed it to him, and her smile widened when he broke off little pieces and ate them. Oh, he was just too cute. "So what do you want for dinner?"

"…Potatoes?"

Sasha flinched. Of course.

"Okay, we'll have potato stew!" she said with her best smile. "And, hey, I might as well throw some meat in there."

The boy's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Why not? I did say it was my plan to spoil you rotten the whole time you were here, didn't I?"

And, for the first time that day, the boy actually smiled.

He kept smiling the entire time he and Sasha prepped their dinner as well. They actually split the tasks and made a game out of it. Who could wash more potatoes? Sasha originally had every intention of letting him win, but she soon found herself struggling to catch up with how quickly and efficiently the little boy was scrubbing.  _Geez, Levi, how well do you have this kid trained to clean?!_ she thought. They ended up having close to equal piles, so they called it a tie.

The child then watched as Sasha cut and boiled the potatoes while heating up the meat in another pot. She then added the vegetables, potatoes, and broth to the pot, and, soon enough, the whole house smelled delicious. Sasha helped the child stand on a chair so he could lean over and watch her stir the almost finished stew a few more times before taking it off the heat. She smiled as she set the pot on the counter and got the serving bowls out. For what had started out as a rough day was turning into quite a bit of fun. In the back of her mind she hoped that she'd be able to make memories like this with her own child one day.

Just as she was about to take the bowls to the table, a sound rang throughout the air. She tensed and nearly dropped the bowls, staring ahead at nothing with wide eyes. The little boy froze in his seat as soon as he heard it, and the happy atmosphere disappeared.

Bells.

The bells signaling the opening of the gate were ringing.

"No," Sasha gasped as she placed the bowls on the table. "No, no, it's too early. No, it's impossible…"

"…Aunt Sasha?"

Suddenly they heard the horses' loud, frantic charging, the carts moving, and the soldiers' shouting outside. Sasha held her breath and kept staring at the front door on the other end of the room even as she bent down to hug the child whose appetite disappeared.

The front door slammed open. "SASHA!"

"CONNIE!" Sasha cried, running to her husband. They embraced and kissed, and Sasha finally started breathing again. "Oh god, Connie, what-?"

Connie panted heavily and turned to see a pair of big, green, terrified eyes staring at him. He swallowed hard, turned back to his wife, and said, "We…we found a Titan right away! The mission was to keep going until we found one so we could see how far out humanity could build a settlement, right? Well, uh, we gotta stay inside the Walls for a little while longer! Turns out there are still a few of those bastards running around outside! Uh…what am I smelling? Aw man, it smells great! What did you cook?"

Sasha was speechless for a few seconds, but she quickly caught on to her husband's lie. "Potato stew!" she replied cheerily, managing a fake smile. "With meat! C'mon, you must be hungry, sit with us."

"Uncle Connie!" the child at the table called as he got to his knees, his lips beginning to quiver. "Where…where are my papa and daddy?"

Connie swallowed hard. "…Reporting our findings to headquarters! They'll come pick you up soon!"

The little boy rubbed his eyes and sat back down normally. He didn't believe that for a second.

* * *

_Knock knock!_

Only two hours had passed since the Survey Corps's unexpected early return home, but it felt like an eternity to everyone in the Braus-Springer household. They had eaten dinner together, but even Sasha didn't have much of an appetite. Afterwards, she had given her little houseguest a bath and was all set to put him to bed when the knocks came. The child bolted upright in the bed, and Connie ran for the door as Sasha rushed out towards the main room just in time to see Eren walk into the house.

Connie's breathing was shallow. "Eren…"

"DADDY!" the boy screamed, jumping out of bed and rushing towards the door with widespread arms. Eren quickly knelt down and hugged his little boy with all the love and affection he had in him, squeezing tighter when the child began to hiccup and whimper.

"Yes, yes, Daddy's here," Eren murmured, kissing the boy's forehead. "Baby, you're gonna come back home with me tonight, okay? But then I have to bring you back here tomorrow."

"Daddy…where's Papa?"

"…I'll explain once we get home."

Sasha immediately ran to the box of toys and clothes and came back with Eren's plush Titan lookalike. "Here, this is your favorite, right? Take him with you," she said as she nestled the toy in the child's arms. "He'd be so lonely here without his best friend."

"Eren," Connie gasped, "how is…?"

"I don't know," the brunet exhaled shakily. "I don't know about Jean either."

"He's spending the night, too?!"

"I swear to god, Connie, he still wasn't calm when I left."

"Daddy?!"

"Look, I'm sorry," Eren gasped, "I have to go. Connie, please tell Sasha what happened. I'll see you both tomorrow."

Eren turned and slammed the front door behind him without another word.

* * *

The walk back home was silent. Eren clutched his son in his arms and placed the occasional kiss on his head. The child gripped his uniform jacket, feeling the unpleasant swell of mixed emotions bubbling within him. He was more than happy to have his daddy home, that was for sure, but he wasn't an idiot. He knew there was a reason why his papa wasn't there, too.

When they arrived at home, Eren immediately took his son straight upstairs to his room. It looked exactly how they had left it that morning, but it felt just a little bit colder than usual. Eren lit a candle, placed it on the dresser, and sat with his little boy on the bed. "Baby," he whispered, "I need you to listen to me very carefully. Can you do that?"

The boy nodded.

Eren placed a kiss on his forehead. "Good. Now, I don't know what Uncle Connie told you, but Papa is at the doctor's office right now, and he has to stay overnight. I want to make it very clear that Papa is alive and that lots of good doctors are taking very good care of him, but…Papa was hurt out on the expedition. Badly."

The child tensed in his arms.

"We thought that there weren't any Titans that close to the Wall, but we were wrong. A bunch of them came out of nowhere and ambushed us. That means that they surprised us with an attack. And, um, they're all dead now, but Papa…yeah, Papa was hurt in the attack. So was Uncle Jean, sort of, so both of them are with doctors right now, and the doctors are going to do everything they can to make them all better. Do you understand?"

Silence.

"Baby?"

"Yeah."

"Ba-"

"I wanna go to bed, Daddy."

Eren hesitated but didn't have much of a choice. "Alright, it's past your bedtime anyway." He stood, pulled the sheets back, and tucked his little boy in, settling his favorite toy in his arms and giving him a kiss. "Good night. If you need me for anything, come get me, okay?"

No response.

With a deep frown on his face, Eren picked the candle up and took it across the hall into the master bedroom. Not in much a mood to be tidy, he stripped himself of his uniform, threw the clothes on the floor, and put on his pajamas. He then pulled the covers back on his own bed and climbed in, but it felt horribly empty and cold. Just last night, he had been hugging and kissing and snuggling with and making love with his beloved husband, the two warm and comfortable within each other's embrace, and now he was alone. Now he was expected to make it through the night with no one to hold, no one to cuddle, and no one to greet him in the morning.

It sucked. It truly, royally sucked. It was the worst feeling ever.

His sleep that night was restless, and he wasn't sure if he ever actually fell asleep at all. This was wrong, all of it was wrong, he hadn't slept alone in years. Maybe he truly was a stupid, spoiled brat, as Levi always called him. He tried to push that out of his mind, as just the mere thought of his husband was enough to bring the tears on.

Suddenly, in the middle of the night, he heard his bedroom door creak open and little footsteps make their way to his bed. Eren was about to get up when he heard his son drag Levi's pillow off the bed, across the hall, and into his own bedroom. Confused, Eren sat up in bed, tiptoed over to his son's bedroom, and peeked inside. What he saw broke his heart beyond repair.

"Lu…lullaby and…go-good night… _sniff_ …go to sleep, little…baby…"

His son was curled up on the rocking chair, clutching Levi's pillow against his tear-soaked face, and attempting to sing a lullaby to himself.

Eren opened the door all the way. "Baby?"

The child sat up, still clutching the pillow, and screamed out, "Papa…I WANT PAPA!"

Eren was on him in an instant, scooping the child up in his arms and hugging him tight against him. The child sobbed and screamed for Levi even as Eren sat down in the rocking chair and gently moved back and forth. "I WANT PAPA, I WANT PAPA!" the boy cried so hard he started drooling all over himself. "PAPAAAAAAAAA!"

Eren didn't know what to do. Their son had never cried like this before, ever, even as an infant, even when he had been teething, ever. This was far beyond anything he felt he could handle, even as he tried to get the boy resting against his chest. The child just screamed about how his heartbeat wasn't the same as Levi's.

And Eren knew he was right. Their son had listened to Levi's heartbeat for months even before he had been born, so of course he knew it well, and of course it was special. Eren knew he couldn't replace Levi, not on this one. The only thing he could do was hold his son as he cried, attempt to hold back his own tears, and pray that his beloved husband would be okay. Because Levi just  _had_ to be okay.

* * *

In the dark of the cold and lonely hospital room, Levi's eyes barely fluttered open.

"Where is…my son?"


	21. Expedition Story, Part 2

Sasha opened the front door to see Eren standing on her doorstep late in the morning the next day. He carried his son close to his chest and managed a tiny smile for her, but the dark circles under his eyes and his pale, blotchy skin gave his reality away.

"Good morning," he said tiredly.

Sasha bit her lip. "Good morning."

Connie came up behind her. "You alright? Rough night?"

Eren nodded. "We were up for most of it, so I let him sleep in as late as he wanted. Sorry, I originally planned to be here earlier. I want to be there when Levi wakes up." His smile disappeared when he felt his son tug at his shirt, and he knew that the boy still hadn't calmed down. Any mere mention of Levi was enough to make the tears start again.

Eren looked like he wanted to cry, too, but not in the same way he had the day before. Yesterday he had been confused and sad and trying to be strong for his son. Now he looked utterly defeated, like he was guilty of some horrible crime and hating himself as he fell apart at the seams. His persona concerned Sasha and Connie, but they didn't say anything out of fear that even the slightest step into how Eren was feeling would cause him to break down.

The tall man suddenly knelt on the ground and settled his son there. "Be good for Aunt Sasha and Uncle Connie, okay? I'll come get you later today. If we're lucky, we'll be able to visit Papa. But, for now, try to have a little fun, okay?" He smoothed the boy's unruly black hair back and waited for a response, but none came. He just looked away even as Eren kissed his temple and said, "I love you. Bye bye."

When the front door closed, the boy just stood there in front of it, shoulders slumped and eyes downcast. Sasha glanced at Connie, but the man just shrugged and shook his head as if to say that he didn't have any idea of what to do either. They had also had a long night between Connie recounting the details of the disastrous expedition and Sasha crying into his chest for hours. She had tried to blame it on her hormones, but both of them knew that was a lie. And, really, there was no point in trying to cover their emotions up. It wasn't like they were the only ones coping with the situation.

Not knowing what else to do, Sasha cleared her throat and said, "You didn't bring your Titan plush friend? Isn't he lonely at home without you?"

The boy shot her a poisonous look, green eyes narrowing dangerously. "I hate that stupid toy," he growled. "There's no such thing as a good Titan. It deserves be lonely forever."

Sasha's eyes widened. "I thought your daddy said that it was your favorite."

The boy snorted and looked at Sasha as if she truly were an idiot. "Daddy and Papa always told me that that toy would protect me. So why was it with me yesterday? If it protects people, why didn't it go with Papa? Papa was the one who needed protection, not me." He crossed his arms. "So it's horrible and bad and evil just like all the other Titans out there. Daddy tried to make me bring it this morning, but I didn't want to because it didn't do its job. It didn't protect Papa."

Connie's and Sasha's mouths dropped open, and they finally realized the reason for Eren's change in mood overnight. That toy was supposed to be a happy, friendly version of his Titan form. Of course he and Levi would tell their son that it would always protect him, because his daddy would always protect him. Eren, it seemed, unfortunately had taken that idea a bit too literally, so now the poor man was beating himself up for not protecting his husband and for giving their son the best reason ever to hate him.

Suddenly the child whimpered. "And why…why didn't Daddy protect Papa?"

"I HAVE AN IDEA!" Sasha's hand shot straight up into the air, catching the child's and Connie's attention. After a moment, she genuinely smiled and said, "Why don't we make a care package for your papa?"

The boy's eyes widened. "A care package?"

"Yeah! You make one for somebody who's hurt or sick or going through a tough time. Basically, you fill a box up with all sorts of goodies that are supposed to make the other person feel better. So we can make a really yummy soup full of medicinal herbs and healthy foods and put it in there. Um, we could put of a bouquet of flowers in there! And maybe you'd like to make him a get well soon card? Stuff like that. We'll fill it up with all sorts of treats and presents that'll put a big smile on your papa's face!"

Connie rolled his eyes. "Like anyone could put a smile on Levi's-!"

Sasha stepped on his toe with the heel of her boot.

There must have been some magic in Sasha's words because the boy's face visibly brightened as he lifted his head to look at her. His green eyes transitioned from venomous to shining in a matter of seconds, and his entire body relaxed as the stiffness of anger melted away. Finally, a little smile appeared, and Sasha nearly jumped for joy at her victory.

"…Okay."

"It's settled then!" she announced. "C'mon, sweetie, let's make our own lunch and then we'll start putting together your papa's care package."

And they did just that. Nearly all the pots and pans were dirtied in the process, but Sasha didn't dread doing the dishes for once (Connie did but he didn't want another attack on his poor foot). At one point, after all the vegetables had been washed, Sasha suggested that her little houseguest try cutting them.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Connie asked as he set the last potato aside.

Sasha eyed him. "What are you talking about? Kids in my village were already out hunting at his age. I think he can handle cutting a carrot as long as I'm nearby."

The boy looked up at her with wide eyes. "Can I really try, Aunt Sasha?"

She smiled at him. "Of course!"

With a quick lesson and Sasha hanging onto both of his hands, the child slowly cut the carrots into bite-sized pieces. He giggled as he did so and commented about how his papa never lets anybody help him in the kitchen. When Sasha asked why, since Eren was a decent cook, the boy just shrugged.

"I don't know, Papa just says that he likes cooking for us."

As soon as the boy finished the sentence, he froze, and his lip trembled slightly. Luckily, he had finished cutting the carrots, so he didn't hurt himself when he reached up to wipe his eyes. Sasha noticed his action and frowned, placing her hand on his shoulder. "What is it, sweetie?"

"Papa," the child mumbled, voice cracking, "I'm just…sad."

Sasha sighed and smiled sympathetically. "You know, sweetie, it's really okay to cry. Something bad happened to someone you really love, so it makes sense that you would cry."

"It's not a sign of weakness, even if you're a man," Connie added. "It means you care."

The boy nodded. "I know. I just…I'm sad about Papa, but I'm sad about Daddy, too. I said some really mean things to him this morning. I wasn't good at all." He rubbed his eyes again. "I wanna say I'm sorry later. I hope Daddy isn't angry at me, because I wanna give Papa a big smile when I get to visit him."

Sasha grinned. "I don't think your daddy is angry at you. I think he understands why you were so upset because he's upset, too. Think about it. Your papa might be your papa, but he's also your daddy's husband. Your papa and daddy love each other so much, and I'm sure it was hard for your daddy to sleep without his favorite cuddle buddy last night. He probably wanted to cry and scream, too, but he didn't because he wanted to take care of you. So you should apologize and also give your daddy a big smile when he picks you up later."

The two embraced and Connie smiled. Moments like that made him realize why he had fallen in love with Sasha. She was so much smarter than most people gave her credit for. And now she was developing a sort of motherly wisdom about her, and that made him fall in love all over again. He couldn't help but tear up, too, thinking about how much his own mother would love her if she were around. Losing his mother still hurt, but knowing that he was creating a new family to love made the sting in his heart a little less prominent.

Once the soup was on the stove (complete with small pieces of meat!), Connie took the boy outside to see if any flowers were growing nearby. The last of winter's snow had melted, and the weather was starting to warm up, but it wasn't exactly spring yet. Regardless, they managed to find a few stray dandelions and daisies, which were good enough. "Papa's favorite color is white anyway!" the little boy had said, to which Connie had just rolled his eyes. Of course.

When they returned home, Sasha put the flowers into a small vase and pulled paper and a pen from a nearby drawer. "Here you go," she said, handing them to her little houseguest. "Make a really happy get well card for your papa. I'm sure that'll make him smile."

And, with the biggest smile he had shown all day, the boy agreed and settled himself on the living room floor to draw. Sasha giggled and was about to go to wash the dishes when Connie stopped her, insisting that he do it. Sasha smiled, gave her husband a light kiss on the cheek, and sat down in a comfortable chair in the living room.

About an hour later, the house smelled delicious from the soup. Sasha had suggested that they cook it for a long time so that the meat and vegetables would be easier to eat but also so that all the healthy herbs in it could release their flavors and medicinal effects. Just as Sasha stood to check on it, she let out a little yelp, and her hands flew to her stomach. She smiled wide and said, "Sweetie, come here!"

The boy did just that, and Sasha placed one of his hands on her belly. The boy's eyes immediately lit up, and his jaw dropped in excited surprise. "I can feel it kicking!" he squealed. "Uncle Connie, the baby's kicking!"

Connie grinned. "Pretty cool, huh?"

"Uh-huh! So cool!" The boy's excitement turned soft as he pressed both of his hands against Sasha's belly. "Wow, I was like that once, too."

Sasha's smile turned soft, too. "We all were," she said. "Every single person in all of humanity was once like this."

The boy giggled and pressed his cheek against her belly. "Hi, little baby, I can't wait to play with you."

The baby calmed down a few seconds later, and the afternoon went on without any other little interruptions. The soup finished cooking, so Sasha poured it in a travel-safe container and placed it in a spare box Connie had brought in from the backyard. She then wrapped up the flowers nicely and placed them next to the pot. Finally, the little boy place his get well card on top and smiled. It was perfect.

That was when the knock on the door came.

Connie rushed to open it, and there stood Eren with a big grin on his face. Connie copied that grin and said, "Aw man, don't tell me-!"

"Levi's awake," Eren breathed, "and he can take visitors."

"Daddy!" the little boy called, rushing towards the front door with widespread arms. Eren knelt down, scooped him up in his arms, and gave him a big kiss on the forehead.

"Looks like you're feeling better," he commented.

The child nodded. "We made a care package for Papa! Aunt Sasha and I made him a really healthy soup, and I picked flowers for him with Uncle Connie, and I even made him a get well soon card!"

"That was so thoughtful of you guys!" Eren laughed, looking up at his friends. "Really? You guys put all that together for Levi? Thank you, oh man, I don't know how to thank you. Between that and baby-sitting…"

Sasha shook her head. "It was our pleasure."

Suddenly the boy frowned. "Hey, Daddy?"

"Hmm?"

"Um, I'm sorry I screamed and cried so much last night, and I'm sorry I said all those mean things this morning. I was just really sad, so I didn't even think that you might be sad, too, and…"

Eren hugged him again. "Oh, baby, don't you worry about that. I understand entirely."

Sasha grinned. "Well then, what are you two waiting for? Get out of here and visit Papa already!" she said as Connie shoved the care package into Eren's arms.

Eren laughed and stood. "Alright, thanks again! I'll find a way to repay you guys, I promise. Let's go, baby, let's go visit Papa!"

* * *

When the father/son duo arrived at the hospital, they had to wait regardless of the fact that Levi had been cleared for visitors. This didn't bother Eren at all, as he still wanted to talk to his son about the whole situation. "Baby," he said when they sat down in the waiting room, "I need to tell you a few things about Papa, so I need you to listen to me very carefully, okay?"

He let out a small sigh of relief when his son nodded and showed no signs of being upset.

"Okay, listen, Papa is okay. I want to make that very clear. Papa is okay. He is alive and breathing and can talk and can move all his body parts, but he still doesn't look good. This is where he was hurt." He drew a line on his right half from his shoulder down to just above his hip in a crescent shape. "This is where a Titan bit him. Now, the good news is that it didn't bite through him, even though it broke the skin. Papa was still hurt badly enough that we needed to get back to the Walls right away though. So, when you see him, he will be covered in bandages, and you might see some weird paste on his skin. That's medicine to speed healing and lessen the pain. Papa's entire right side hurts very much, so you have to be careful if he says you can hug him. He can only use his left arm without being in pain, so he won't be able to give you hugs like he normally does. Also, his voice is very quiet and very raspy, so he might be a little hard to understand. He might seem sleepy, too, because the medicine he took last night made him sleep for a long time. But it's important to remember that he's still Papa, okay? He just might not look and sound like him right now."

The little boy stared at Eren, taking all this information in with wide, curious, understanding eyes. He then nodded and said, "You know, if Papa did lose an arm or a leg or couldn't talk anymore or maybe couldn't see or hear anymore or if he could never hug me again he'd still be Papa, and I'd still love him."

Eren gave him a soft smile. "That's right, he'd still be Papa."

"But I'm very happy that none of those things happened to him!"

"Me, too."

"Mr. Jaeger?"

Eren immediately stood. "Yes?"

A female nurse beckoned for them to follow. "This way please, Levi wants to see you." She led them down a hallway and opened the door for them. "Here you go, we just ask that you keep your voices down for the rest of our patients."

"Sure, thank you."

The moment the nurse closed the door, the boy rushed to Levi's bedside. "Papa!"

Levi turned his head slightly and smiled. "Hey…there's my baby,"

To say that Levi had seen better days was an understatement. On top of everything Eren had described, his face was sickeningly pale, and his eyelids were dark and heavy. He looked in desperate need of a good meal and more sleep. Still, the smile he wore was enough to bring hope into both Eren's and their son's hearts, as it was the kind that made him look better than he actually was. His injured right side faced the wall, so he reached out with his left hand and gently cupped his son's cheek. The child flinched slightly at his dry, dirty skin, but the touch itself had not changed. That was definitely his papa, his papa who was alive and would get better.

Eren leaned over gently stroked his husband's cheek. Levi turned back to look up at him and smiled as Eren kissed him lovingly. His lips were chapped, but Eren didn't mind. "I love you," Eren whispered between kisses. "I love you, I love you."

"Don't blame yourself, stupid brat," Levi murmured. "This wasn't your fault."

Eren laughed quietly. "If you can still insult me, then I guess you're fine."

"You know it. And I love you, too." Another kiss.

"Papa," the little boy interrupted, "um, Aunt Sasha, Uncle Connie, and I made a care package for you."

Levi's eyes widened slightly, and he turned back to his son. "Really?"

The boy nodded. "We made you a really healthy soup and picked you flowers, and I made you a get well soon card." He reached into the box and showed his papa his masterpiece. The three of them were standing together in a big field of flowers, holding hands and smiling with Levi in the middle. The words GET WELL SOON, PAPA were written at the top a bit sloppily but still legibly.

Levi's smile widened at it. "I love it, thank you, baby." He ruffled the boy's hair with his good hand, earning a triumphant giggle.

Eren grinned. "Hey, baby, why don't you go ask the nurse to put the flowers in a vase?"

The boy nodded. "Okay!" He grabbed the bouquet and ran out into the hallway.

Eren looked back at his husband, still stroking his face. He couldn't help the solemn expression on his own. "I really am sorry that this happened to you. I can't imagine how painful it must have been."

Levi shrugged with his good shoulder. "Labor was worse."

Eren burst out laughing.

When the nurse returned with a vase for the flowers, Eren stood back up straight and excused himself. "I'm gonna go visit Jean. Baby, why don't you tell Papa all about your days with Uncle Connie and Aunt Sasha?" He gave them a little wave and left, smirking at his son's excited chatter.

As soon as Eren appeared back in the waiting room to ask where Jean's room was, he spotted a familiar face. "Armin? What are you doing here?"

"Visiting Jean. How's Levi?"

"Awake and talking. It looks like he'll be okay."

"Oh, that's great news," Armin sighed, relieved. "You visiting Jean, too?"

Eren nodded and the two followed another nurse down a different hallway. When they reached Jean's room, the nurse turned to them with a frown. "Mr. Kirchstein seems okay now, but please refrain from talking about anything that could trigger him. We had to sedate him pretty heavily last night, as that was the only way we could get him to calm down. His physical injuries were minor, on the bright side, just a dislocated shoulder and some bruising on his right side. His shoulder is fine now, and the bruises will clear up in a few days. Still, keep his mental health in mind."

The two men nodded.

Jean looked up from where he sat on his bed when the nurse opened the door. He smiled a bit when he saw Eren and Armin, and the two sat down in nearby chairs when the nurse closed the door. "How are you feeling?" Eren asked.

Jean shrugged. "Fine now. Heh, I must have looked really stupid yesterday, huh?"

Armin frowned. "You had a major panic attack, Jean. You lost control of your gear and would have fallen on your head if Ymir hadn't grabbed you. She couldn't stop you from falling, but she probably saved your life. That's nothing to joke about."

Jean's face dropped and he looked down in shame. "Sorry," he muttered, "it's just…when I saw Levi get bitten…"

"Don't talk about it if it makes you uncomfortable."

"…What about Annie?"

Armin's breath hitched. "…She's currently being held in a prison cell in Wall Sina at the Military Police headquarters. It's not a maximum security one like she had been in, but she did break her probation and leak information, so I don't know when she'll be released or if she'll even be released at all. Reiner and Bertholdt were arrested and taken in for questioning, but I'm positive that Annie was working alone this time, so I hope they'll be released."

Eren groaned and held his face in his hands. "What a mess. Jean had a panic attack, Levi's bedridden, and the person who was once humanity's enemy, responsible for hundreds of deaths, saved all our lives."


	22. Expedition Story, Part 3

"Could you get the door for me, baby?"

"I got it!"

The little boy rushed to the front door of the Jaeger family home and opened it wide, stepping out of the way when his daddy walked inside. Of course, Eren would normally open the door for himself, but he was carrying quite a bit of precious cargo that afternoon.

"Alright, up we go," he said as he climbed the stairs to the master bedroom. His son closed the front door behind him and ran to the kitchen while he settled Levi in bed. The shorter immediately relaxed into the fluffy pillows and soft sheets, so thankful to be home. He had only spent two nights in the hospital, but they had been two of the most uncomfortable nights of his life, and that was coming from a person who had slept on the ground outside the Walls for weeks on end and had once carried a baby who would often decide that the middle of the night was playtime. Levi made a satisfied grunting sound as Eren pulled the sheets up over his chest and kissed his forehead.

"Thanks," he murmured, turning his head towards his husband. Eren leaned down and kissed his lips.

"Anything for you," the taller murmured back, kissing him again. "Can I get you anything?"

"Papa!" their son called as he appeared in the bedroom with a plate and cup. "I brought you some bread and water in case you were hungry!"

Levi smiled. "That was so thoughtful of you, baby, thank you. Bring it here." With his good hand, he took the plate from his cheerful son and slowly began eating.

Levi's condition, while still serious, had improved significantly overnight. He had eaten every last bite of Sasha's stew for dinner, and all of the healthy ingredients in it must have worked because he felt much better afterwards. Between that, having his spirits lifted from his family's visit, and the long (yet still uncomfortable) sleep he had had that night, he had been cleared to go home when he woke up the next morning.

_"Levi still needs plenty of medication, rest, and care, but he should be fine," the doctor said to Eren. "I'll have a nurse come by every morning for the next two weeks or so to make sure he's healing properly. I must say though, I've never had a patient respond this well to medication this quickly."_

_Eren frowned. "What do you mean?"_

_The doctor fixed his glasses and looked over the notes spread out on his desk. "I've seen all sorts of Titan injuries over the years. Granted, most of them have been much more serious than this. Levi is very lucky that, who was it, Mikasa Ackerman?, killed the Titan before it could bite him all the way through. Had she not, he'd be dead right now. That being said, the injury is still serious, and it's going to take a while for him to recover. Still, I received word from Ms. Hanji Zoe that you were able to stop all the bleeding relatively quickly, is that right?"_

_"Hanji was here?" Eren asked._

_The doctor nodded. "Yes, early yesterday morning before you got here. Levi was still unconscious, but she wasn't interested in visiting him. She wanted to talk to me about what the Survey Corps medical team was able to do before you returned to the Walls."_

_Eren narrowed his eyes out of confusion. "Um, yes, they were able to stop the worst of the bleeding before we returned. The bleeding stopped entirely by the time we were back inside the Walls, right?"_

_The doctor nodded again. "I was just a little surprised is all. But it's also true that Levi is very healthy and in great shape, so his body is probably more resilient than the average soldier's. Oh well, I don't want to dwell on it too much, especially when there's so much good news to tell. I'm sure he'd love to go home as soon as possible, and I'm sure you'd love to have him home."_

_Eren grinned. "Our son will be so happy. He misses his papa so much."_

_"Oh, that was the other thing Ms. Hanji Zoe wanted to talk about," the doctor said as he pulled another sheet of paper from his desk. "Ah yes, here we go. She requested that we take a few blood samples from Levi while she was here yesterday morning. They were quite small, nothing to worry about. She took most of them back to her lab, but we kept one here for a certain test. I don't know if this counts as good news or not, but, in case you were wondering, Levi was not pregnant."_

_Eren flushed slightly as he looked away. Leave it to Hanji to ask the doctor to perform such a test, but this was the same man who had suggested Levi's pregnancy the first time around, so Eren wasn't as embarrassed. Still, mixed emotions bubbled inside him. As happy as he was that they hadn't lost a baby, he was a bit confused as to why Levi was having such a hard time getting pregnant again. Maybe it was time he talked to the midwives about it._

_Still, that wasn't what was important. "Well, thanks for confirming that," he said, a smile returning to his face. "So we can take him home this afternoon?"_

Levi finished the last of his snack and leaned back against his pillow. "Ugh, I needed that, thank you, baby."

His son grinned. "You're welcome. Since you're gonna be in bed for a while, Daddy asked me to be his little helper. So Daddy and I are gonna take care of you!"

Levi smiled slightly. "Well, that's nice of you, but-"

"No buts," Eren said, leaning over as cupping his husband's face. "Your only job right now is to get better. You're always working so hard for us. You make all the meals, do almost all the shopping, do all the cleaning-"

"All three of us clean."

"But you do the most! So just relax for a while, okay? Let us take care of you for a change."

Levi went to speak but stopped. He knew he couldn't win. He could barely stand on his own without feeling pain, so he wasn't going to be much help with anything. Hell, Eren had just carried him from the cart they borrowed from the hospital up to their room, as he had been unable to sit up straight without help. So he just sighed and gently closed his eyes. "Fine, you win. But the moment I get better is when I'm back in charge, you hear me? I can't let you have free reign over this house for too long; the damn place will go to hell."

Eren laughed. "Deal." And he kissed his husband once more. "C'mon, baby, let's let Papa sleep for a while."

"No, he can stay," Levi murmured, eyes still closed. "As long as he stays on my uninjured side, he'll be fine. It's getting close to his nap time anyway."

Without a moment's hesitation, the little boy jumped into the bed and curled up on his papa's side, only to jump down a moment later and run into his room. He quickly returned with his Titan plush and jumped back into the master bed. "We made up," he explained as he snuggled up with his papa, the toy gently clutched in his arms. "It wasn't his fault Papa got hurt, and it wasn't yours either, Daddy, I'm sorry."

Eren smiled. "Thank you, I'm glad to hear that," he said. "Have a nice nap." He kissed the two loves of his life again and headed downstairs to see what was available for dinner.

* * *

_Knock knock!_

Eren looked up from scrubbing vegetables over the sink when he heard the knock at the front door about two hours later. He quickly dried his hands and opened the door, only for his eyes to widen. Standing on his front step were Armin, Mikasa, Hanji, and a few other high-ranking soldiers from the Survey Corps.

His voice was unsure when he spoke. "…Guys?"

"We heard that Levi is back home," Armin said, smiling. "That's great."

"Are you all here to visit him?"

"Sort of," Hanji replied, pushing her glasses up on her nose. "Sorry to come over unannounced so soon and all, but we really need to discuss what happened on the expedition with both of you. Is Levi awake? Can he talk?"

At that moment, the littlest member of the Jaeger family came down the stairs, rubbing his eyes and yawning, "Daddy? Who's at the door?"

"Oh! Um, baby, is Papa awake?"

His son nodded. "Yeah, why? …Why is everyone here?"

Eren bit his lip. "…Can you play downstairs for a while?"

"Huh?" Now the child was wide awake. "Wait, no, are they here to take Papa back? Papa can't go out yet! No, go away, Papa has to stay at home!"

"No, they're not here to take Papa away, don't worry," Eren said as he bent down to the child's level. "We just need to talk about what happened on the expedition. I promise that Papa won't leave his bed, okay? Please, I just…I don't want you getting scared. It's been a rough few days, and I don't want you to be sad anymore, so could you stay down here while we talk?" He looked back up at the group. "It won't take too long, will it?"

Hanji sighed. "That depends but I don't think it'll take too long."

The child flinched at Hanji's words but reluctantly nodded anyway.

Eren kissed his forehead. "Good boy, go grab some of your toys and come back down here."

After another moment of hesitation, the child ran back upstairs. He stopped momentarily to tell Levi about the visitors and then headed downstairs with his Titan plush, a rag doll, and a few toy soldiers. He didn't say a word as the real soldiers climbed the stairs, but he did smile back when Armin, who carried a backpack with him, and Mikasa smiled and waved at him.

Eren helped Levi sit up as straight as he could as the crowd gathered around him. It felt strange to have so many people in his bedroom, especially while Levi was in bed, but there was no way around it, as he didn't want to move Levi again so soon after bringing him home. So Eren sat at the end of the bed while everyone else was content to stand.

Hanji was the first to speak. "How are you feeling?"

"How the hell do you think, four eyes?"

"Yep, you're fine."

Eren almost laughed.

Hanji cleared her throat and sighed, pulling a notebook from her jacket pocket and flipping through the pages. "I don't know how much you remember or what you know now, but we have quite a situation on our hands. You're expected to appear in court once you're better. Twice. Once for the suspects from the Military Police and another for Annie Leonhart."

"…What?"

The room suddenly became very quiet, a dark, tense atmosphere hanging in the air. Hanji narrowed her eyes as she studied the look of confused shock on Levi's face. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Eren's hands ball into fists, but the man remained silent, as did everyone else. Armin kept his gaze on the ground while Mikasa looked like she was about to murder someone.

Hanji cleared her throat again and said, "While the expedition itself was legitimate, spies were hidden amongst our troops. Leftovers from when the Military Police was corrupt, not that it isn't nowadays, but whatever. There were three of them, and we've been questioning them since we got back. Can't believe how quick they were to spill the beans, but, hey, the Military Police has never been known for bravery."

"The hell are you talking about?"

"There are people in this world who want to take your son away from you."

"…"

"Levi, their target was you."

_"Coming up to a Titan Forest on the left, keep an eye out!"_

_The expedition itself was going okay so far. A few hours into it with the horses galloping at top speed and not a single Titan had been spotted. Eren was beginning to wonder just how far they could go. Perhaps the Survey Corps truly had killed enough Titans to create its first permanent settlement. He glanced at Levi on his left side and smiled slightly at the thought of living outside the Walls with him and their son. What a wonderful life that would be._

_Levi didn't share his optimism. As they came closer towards the forest, he heard a few horses behind him start galloping faster, as if the riders wanted to stay close to him. Rookies weren't supposed to be situated near him in this formation, but he was too focused on going forward to check. After all, it wasn't unusual for even seasoned veterans to want to stick around him._

_Suddenly, a scream._

_"TITANS!"_

_Two 14 meter class jumped out from behind the trees and swiped at the soldiers, the horses frantically dodging and, unfortunately, bumping into each other. "Crap!" Eren hissed. "Just when I thought this would be a nice place to live!"_

_"Damn, we've still got a long way to go," Levi muttered, unsheathing one of his blades as a 7 meter class waddled out from behind the two 14 meter class._

_In the midst of confusion and terror, most of the soldiers scattered while Levi and Mikasa jumped off their horses and flew around the Titans so they could see their backs. Jean, Connie, Reiner, and Ymir were right behind them while Armin and Hanji screamed out, "INCOMING!" just as a 4 meter class reached out for the nearby Historia. Bertholdt jumped up and quickly spun around, slashing its neck before it could touch her. He caught Ymir's gaze and nodded at her as if to say that he had the situation under control. Eren, as usual, had to stay back in case his Titan powers were needed, but that didn't stop him from rushing forward when he spotted another 7 meter class just as Reiner killed the first one._

_Despite how big the Titan was, it moved rather quickly, trying to grab at Levi's gear wires. The man quickly changed his trajectory and spun around, dragging his blade all the way up the Titan's spine to the nape of its neck, where he promptly slashed both blades. Just as the monster started to fall, a 15 meter class appeared behind it. In the midst of the battle, between Jean killing the second 7 meter class and the horses charging away from the fight, Levi only heard it when it was close enough to grab at him. Just when it was about to get a grip on him, he hooked his wires onto a nearby tree branch and jumped up._

_Someone crashed into him._

_The last thing Levi felt before losing consciousness was the pain of powerful, flat teeth chewing at his right side, and the last thing he heard was the roar of Eren's Titan form._

Hanji sighed heavily and turned a page in her notebook. "Mikasa killed the other 14 meter class right before you were bitten, and she was close enough to you that she could kill the 15 meter class before it could bite through you. Then, ugh, everything just fell into chaos. You fell out of the dead Titan's mouth, and another Military Police spy tried to grab you, but Connie got to him first, throwing him to the ground. Mikasa then grabbed you and safely brought you to one of the supply carts. You were bleeding badly, but we couldn't administer first aid right away since even more Titans appeared from the forest. Eren ran into the forest as a Titan to fight, and he ended up going berserk and killing every single one of them in the area, but that wasn't before Jean caught a glimpse of you. The moment he saw your bitten right half, he just lost it. He screamed and lost control of his gear, causing him to fall while still flying forward. Ymir grabbed him before he could land and angled him just enough so that his head, neck, and spine were spared. He landed roughly on his right side and suffered from a dislocated shoulder and some bad bruising. What was worse though was how badly he was shaking and sweating, and he screamed so loud and hard that he made himself sick. He didn't stop even as we turned around and returned to the Walls, and we had to restrain him to keep him from hurting himself further. Ugh, it wasn't pretty, especially after Eren exhausted himself and crawled out of his Titan form. He couldn't fight anymore, but he was all hysterical looking for you. We had to restrain him, too, but he calmed down as soon as we put you two in the same cart together. By this time, we were applying first aid."

Levi stared at Hanji with wide, disbelieving eyes, and his bread snack from earlier threatened to make a return. Slowly but surely, the memories started returning to his mind. Not the details of course, but he could vaguely remember Mikasa grabbing onto him and placing him in a cart. He momentarily stared at his husband, wondering how he had managed to keep himself together over the past forty-eight hours between going berserk in Titan form and staying up all night with their son. Normally, he needed several hours of rest to compose himself after taking on his Titan form, so the poor man had to still be exhausted. And now Eren was going to run the household while Levi just sat in bed? The thought left a horrid taste in his mouth.

"I'm still confused as to why there were so many Titans hiding in the forest," Eren interrupted, crossing his arms. "And they all jumped out at once. Why was that?

"Titans have the ability to learn," Armin replied, looking up. "They might not be intelligent, but, if they see a human in one of those overgrown trees, they'll try to climb it. This seems a little too intelligent though, plotting an ambush against us like that. Or maybe they just really have become more intelligent over time."

"Basically, those three Military Police spies were waiting for the perfect opportunity to kill or at least injure you, Levi," Hanji continued. "They were also willing to die to make sure that happened. But these weren't ordinary Military Police soldiers. They were associated with the religious conservatives."

"The guys who worship the Walls?!" Eren shot back, voice stunned and eyes wide. "Wait, Historia said-!"

Hanji shook her head. "Not them. Another group. One devoted entirely to killing your family."

"MY SON IS INNOCENT," Levi suddenly shouted, startling everyone. His face was pale, and his eyes were dark, casting a murderous glance across the room. "Innocent," he repeated a bit quieter but no less firmly. "They tried to kill me so they could take my son away? What about Eren?"

Hanji bit her lip. "They were hoping he'd be imprisoned for going berserk in Titan form and be deemed unsuitable to raise him. Since you're both Survey Corps members, your son would probably be put under Military Police custody."

"WHY IN THE HELL-!"

"Think about it, Levi! You gave birth to your son. You! A man! You were impregnated by a Titan Shifter and gave birth to a child. The religious conservatives ultimately want your son dead! They believe that, with your strength and Eren's Titan form, he could become the most powerful Titan humanity has ever seen and-"

"Shut your goddamn mouth."

Hanji did just that and glanced at Eren, who was shaking with anger, eyes furious and a poisonous shade of green. She then glanced in the opposite direction at Mikasa, who refused to look up as she wrapped her arms around her own waist and bit her lip so hard it bled. Hanji sighed and looked back down at her notes. She hated sharing this information, but everyone had to know. In fact, she was thankful that the Military Police spies had told her so much. "If nothing else," she said cautiously, "now you know, so you can protect him better."

"I'll kill anyone who touches so much as a single hair on his head," Eren growled, voice deep and rough and sounding quite similar to his Titan roar. He shook his head and continued, "No, anyone who even so much as THINKS about touching a single hair on his head. Anyone. Everyone. I'll kill them all."

No one had to hear him speak to know that Levi was thinking the exact same thing.

Hanji flipped another page in her notebook. "If I may continue, there is some good news. We know of several other Military Police members associated with these religious conservatives. Armin?"

The blond opened the backpack in his arms and pulled out several sheets of paper. "Here are the ones we know about, complete with physical descriptions."

"Where did you get those?" Eren asked, voice still angry but now more curious.

Armin frowned. "From Annie. Remember when your son ran to my place during your argument? She was there, too, and heard about the expedition. I didn't see her again until the night before the expedition, when she came to my house, stayed the night, and didn't take this backpack with her when she left early the next morning, before I got up. I only looked through it because I wanted to be sure she hadn't left anything valuable behind, but I found it was full of these papers. Guys, do you understand what this means? Annie spied on as many Military Police members as she could before we left because she thought the whole expedition was suspicious, and she left these papers with me to be sure we'd know who to watch out for. That was why Connie grabbed the second guy before he could grab you, Levi. Connie was at the gate early, so I only had time to share it with him."

Eren's jaw dropped. "Annie did that?"

Armin nodded. "But she also leaked Military Police information to the Survey Corps, so she was arrested, and she's still being held in a prison at the Military Police headquarters under suspicion that SHE plotted all this. Reiner, Bertholdt, and I were questioned, too, and-"

"Wait, YOU were questioned, too?" Eren asked. "When? Why?!"

Armin's cheeks flushed pink, and he shuffled a bit in his spot. "Before I visited Jean in the hospital yesterday and because I'm dating her. I was suspected of conspiring with her, along with Reiner and Bertholdt, but we were all released. Annie worked alone this time."

"And that's why you need to come to her hearing, too, Levi," Hanji finished. "She committed a crime, but she saved us and helped you and Eren protect your son. The Supreme Commander has decided that whether or not she'll be released depends entirely on you."

"Go home," Levi suddenly hissed, glaring at Hanji with deadly eyes. "Go home. All of you. Now."

Surprisingly enough, they all did. Hanji closed her notebook and led the group out of the room, her subordinates right behind her. Armin placed the papers in the backpack, closed it, and followed them. Mikasa was the last one to leave, only pausing for a moment to look at Eren with teary eyes that said so much. He looked back at her and felt his anger dissipate, only to be replaced with sadness.

As soon as they were all gone, Levi buried his face in his palms and slumped over, ignoring the pain aching throughout his injured side. "All I ever wanted," he whispered, "was for my son to be normal. That's all. I wanted him to have a normal childhood. I wanted him to be happy, smiling and laughing and playing like normal children do. Was that really so much to ask?"

"Papa! Daddy!"

The little angel himself appeared in the doorway, a concerned look on his face.

"Is your meeting over? Can I come back in?"

Levi nodded and outstretched his good arm. "Yes, it's over, baby, c'mere. All three of us will spend the rest of the day together, and you can even sleep in our bed tonight if you want."

* * *

Jean was surprised to hear a knock on his door that afternoon. He, too, had been released from the hospital that day, but he wasn't expecting visitors. He got up from his couch and opened the front door only to blush and lose the ability to form coherent sentences for a moment. Mikasa was standing on his front step.

"Mi…"

"How are you feeling?" the woman asked quietly.

Jean stumbled over his words at first but then managed to say, "F-fine now! Yup, I'm good!"

"That's good. I was worried."

"Oh, um, thanks."

There was a pause before Mikasa spoke again. "I heard that, when you found Marco, the right half of his head and torso had been bitten off, am I right?"

Jean flinched and reluctantly nodded.

"So seeing Levi get bitten in the exact same place must have triggered your panic attack. I'm so sorry."

Jean went to speak but stopped.

"Jean."

He looked straight at her.

"If you…ever need someone to talk to, please come to me."

"Mi..?"

"I nearly lost my family for the third time two days ago," she said, "but we all nearly lost you, too. I suppose I should be thanking Ymir right now, but I just…I wanted to see you, and-"

"Whoa, whoa," Jean stopped her, waving his hands in front of himself, "what about Eren?"

"Eren has Levi. He has his own family now. You and I…we don't have anybody…"

She didn't have to say the rest. Jean knew what she was trying to tell him, and it made his heart throb in the most achingly pleasant way possible.

_So maybe we could have each other._


	23. Scar Story

Eren was washing the breakfast dishes when he heard a knock on the door the next morning. He quickly slipped his gloves off and jogged towards it, opening it to reveal a woman dressed in white. "Good morning," she said cheerily, "I'm here to see Mr. Levi Jaeger?"

"Oh yeah, he's upstairs," Eren replied, stepping out of the way so she could step inside. "He already ate breakfast, I hope that's okay."

"He's eating normally and keeping it all down?"

"Yes."

"That's great! I may not need to come as often as we thought! I'll let the doctor know when I get back to the hospital."

Eren smiled at this and then led her up the stairs to the master bedroom. Not that the nurse and her positive demeanor weren't welcomed, but he was thrilled to hear that his husband was recovering at what seemed like a rapid pace. The sooner he was better, the sooner life could go back to normal.

Levi's check-up went well, only adding to Eren's joy. Even he could tell that the man was feeling better, as the color had returned to his cheeks and the gleam had returned to his eyes. The nurse checked his vital signs and deemed them all normal. She then peeled the bandages off his body, and Eren's smile flattened. The wounds on Levi's right side still looked nasty even though new layers of skin had started to grow. Eren crinkled his nose at the perfectly even, bruise-rimmed bites marks and how they created a crescent shape down both Levi's front and back. Eren, despite how many times he had been bitten, cut, and fused to his Titan form, had no such scars. Such was a perk of his Titan form's regenerative abilities, but seeing all those scars, both old and new, on his beloved husband only served as a reminder of just how human Levi was.

He was Humanity's Strongest Soldier, not Humanity's Invincible Soldier.

"Honestly, I was expecting worse," the nurse said, snapping Eren out of his thoughts. "You really are healing rather nicely, Mr. Jaeger."

Levi let the slightest smile grace his features. "Good to know."

"Um, I wanted to know if he could take a bath or something," Eren said. "Or is his skin still too tender?"

The nurse shook her head. "I don't see any problem with that. Just don't scrub. Oh, and gently pat dry."

"Oh thank god," Levi muttered. "I feel disgusting."

Eren's smile returned. "Great, thank you. After that I'll rewrap his bandages."

The nurse nodded and reached into her supplies bag. "Here, put this on his injuries before you rewrap the bandages. It's a balm meant to help with the pain and speed healing."

Eren took the jar and put it in his apron pocket. "Thank you. And, um, I know you were only supposed to see Levi, but could you, um, take a look at someone else?"

The nurse nodded. "Of course, who else…?"

Eren led her out of the master bedroom, across the hall, and into his son's room. The little boy in question was snuggled in his bed, the covers yanked high above his head. The nurse was about to ask what the problem was when she heard it.

"Ah-choo!"

She shook her head and smiled sympathetically. "Poor thing."

Eren sighed. "He actually slept in our bed last night but woke up sneezing and complaining about how he couldn't breathe, so I moved him back in here. I don't want Levi getting sick in his weakened condition."

The nurse nodded. "Good idea. Let's have a look." She knelt down next to the child and gently moved the covers back so she could see his face. His nose was pink, and his eyes were glassy, but he didn't seem horribly ill. The nurse pressed her palm against his forehead and said, "No fever. I'd say it's just a case of the spring sniffles. It's common this time of year." She reached into her supplies bag and pulled out another jar. "Here, rub this on his chest. It'll help break up the mucus and make it easier for him to breathe."

Eren took it from her with a smile and put it in his apron pocket. "Thank you so much, sorry about this."

"It's no trouble at all!" the nurse replied as she stood. "I always carry that stuff around with me. You never know when you're going to run into someone who needs it. Do you need anything else?"

Eren shook his head. "No, thank you, you've done more than enough."

"My pleasure!" the nurse happily replied. "I'll get going then. I'll see myself out. Have a nice day!" She walked out of the room and headed down the stairs, the opening and closing of the front door sounding throughout the house a few seconds later.

Eren knelt down next to his son, who had yanked the covers back over his head. "I'm sorry you don't feel well, baby, but at least now we have something that can make you feel better."

He heard a whimper come from underneath the covers. "I'm sorry, Daddy, I wanted to be your little helper…"

Eren smiled and brought the covers down enough so that he could see the boy's face. "It's not your fault, baby, don't worry. Right now you can be my little helper by staying in bed and getting better. Don't worry, I can take care of both you and Papa. After I help Papa take a bath, I'll give you one, too, okay? That'll make you feel better." He kissed the child's forehead and headed into the bathroom to start filling the tub. When it was about half-way full, he went back into the master bedroom and maneuvered himself so he could pick Levi up.

"I can walk short distances, you know," the smaller sighed, though he secretly loved all the attention.

Eren ignored him and carried him into the bathroom. "Nope, you're gonna let me take care of you in every way," he said when he sat his husband on the edge of the tub and started stripping him of the rest of his clothes. "Think of it as a vacation. Like I said yesterday, you work so hard for us, for all of us. You deserve a break, so I'm gonna spoil you rotten until you're better. In we go!" He gently situated Levi in the full tub and shut the water off, smiling when the shorter immediately relaxed.

"Oh god, this feels amazing," Levi nearly moaned. "I swear to god, I haven't bathed properly in forever."

"It's been four days."

"Forever."

Eren laughed and leaned over to kiss Levi's temple. "Okay, if you say so. Take your time. I'll be back in a little bit." He kissed Levi's temple again and went back into the master bedroom. Immediately he stripped the bed and threw the sheets into a pile. He then opened the closet, pulled out a set of spare sheets, and remade the bed so Levi could sleep on clean sheets without the risk of catching any of his son's germs. When he was done, he carried the old sheets downstairs and quickly washed them. The weather was finally nice enough that he could do so outside, so he crouched down next to the large tub outside and scrubbed each sheet against the washboard.

He was so focused on his task that he didn't see the person walking by. "Playing housewife today?"

Eren looked up and sighed. "Yes, as a matter of fact. What do you want, Ymir?"

The brunette grinned. "Not much. I was just heading home and happened to see you. Where's the kid?"

Eren wrung out one of the sheets and hung it up on a nearby clothesline to dry. "Sick in bed with a cold. That's why I'm washing everything, so that Levi doesn't get sick, too."

"Aw man, you really ARE a housewife! Shorty's got you trained real good!"

Eren eyed her as he hung up the last sheet, took the jars out of his pocket, and quickly washed his apron. "You just don't do anything. You leave it all up to Historia."

"Guilty as charged!"

"I don't know how she puts up with you."

"You ever hear loud moaning in the middle of the night? Yeah, that's her."

Eren visibly shuddered as he hung his apron up next to the sheets. "Okay, I didn't need to hear that, and I'm going inside now, goodbye." He made a beeline for the door and forcefully shut it once he was inside. Seriously, how did anybody put up with Ymir?

But he couldn't be bothered with her for too long. He headed back up the stairs, set the two jars down on a nightstand in the master bedroom, and knocked on the bathroom door. "Come in," came Levi's voice, and Eren opened the door to see Levi running his good hand through his sudsy hair.

"Here, lemme help you," Eren said as he crouched down next to his husband and started massaging his scalp. He smiled when Levi leaned into his touch and let out a pleased sigh.

After Levi was rinsed clean, Eren pulled the plug and carefully maneuvered his husband so he was sitting on the edge of the tub again. There, he gently pat Levi's tender skin dry and then towel dried his hair. When Levi was completely dry, Eren carried him back into their room and helped him slip on a pair of pajama pants. "I was thinking," he said as unfolded the matching top.

Levi mock tensed. "Oh crap."

Eren rolled his eyes. "I was thinking that maybe you should keep the bandages off for a little while now that your wounds are clean. I dunno, it might help to let them breathe or something."

Levi shrugged with his good shoulder. "Actually, that's not a bad idea. Besides, the kid needs a bath, too. Go wash him up and then we'll put the bandages on." He slowly laid down on his stomach on the soft, clean sheets.

Eren nodded in agreement and walked across the hall to knock on their son's room door. "Baby, you awake? It's bath time."

"Ah-choo!"

Eren had to stifle a chuckle as he entered. "Aw, you poor thing." He pulled the covers back and picked up his little boy, who clung to him desperately, whimpering quietly. "Don't worry, I'll give you your medicine after your bath." He smiled when he felt his son nod into his shoulder.

His son's bath was significantly quicker, as the child was in no mood to play or talk. He just rubbed his nose as his daddy washed and rinsed everything from his hair to his little toes. Of course, he couldn't help giggling a little when Eren tickled his toes, prompting Eren to softly poke his nose and say, "Made you smile."

When the boy was washed and dried, Eren dressed him in pajamas with a button-down top, leaving the first two buttons undone. He quietly tip-toed into the master bedroom, picked up one of the medicine jars, and brought it back to his son. Taking small dollop in his hand, he gently massaged it into the skin on the boy's chest beneath his nose. The child groaned softly and sniffed pathetically.

"You'll feel better soon," Eren murmured, kissing the boy's forehead. "Try to sleep for a little while. I'll wake you up later for lunch." He settled the Titan plush next to his son and headed out of the room, closing the door behind him. He immediately headed back into the master bedroom and opened the other jar. "Your turn."

Levi smirked. "Do your worst."

Eren smirked back, warmed the balm in his hands, and started massaging the medicine into Levi's wounds. The smaller let sweet, pleasured sounds escape his lips, and he relaxed deep into the mattress. Perhaps allowing Eren to spoil him rotten throughout his recovery wouldn't be so bad, especially if he got this kind of treatment. Eren's large, warm hands felt like heaven against his tender skin, and he couldn't help squirming slightly whenever Eren hit a sensitive spot.

Eren leaned over and kissed the back of Levi's ear. "This reminds me of when we were newlyweds."

How could Levi ever forget that time? After their wedding, he actually hadn't been looking forward to the wedding night as much as he had the rest of their days following the celebration. Specifically, he had been looking forward to the domestically blissful early days of their marriage, the days when they couldn't get enough of one another and wanted to spend every moment together, regardless of whether or not they had sex. Yes, they had often made love, as most newlyweds do, but Levi's favorite thing about being newlyweds was knowing that Eren was all his. They had been clingy with one another, absorbing and processing the fact that, yes, they were married and, yes, there was a bond between them that could never be broken. He had also loved the fact that they stayed home often during their newlywed days. Less time outside the Walls meant more time alive and together, and that was what Levi had always wanted the most.

Eren leaned back and gently traced his fingers down Levi's back, examining all the scars criss-crossed over his skin. He frowned at the thought of these new injuries fading into scars, but, somehow, he couldn't help but appreciate their beauty. His husband was a soldier, and a great soldier at that, and he couldn't be more proud. And, really, for soldiers, scars were a symbol that they had survived.

"Underground days," Levi murmured as Eren ran a finger down a particularly long scar on Levi's left side. "Got slammed into a house with broken wood and nails sticking out. Not pretty."

Eren grimaced. He honestly hated hearing about his husband's thug days, to know that Levi hadn't always had a place to sleep, decent clothes to wear, and clean food and water to eat and drink. Biting his lip, he moved his hand up to Levi's left shoulder. "And this one?"

"Also from the underground. Got into a knife fight with a guy who tried to steal the food I had stolen."

"Are most of these from your underground days?"

Levi nodded. "Only a few from Titans. The bite marks are the biggest and worst I've ever had though."

Eren paused for a moment and then said, "Your back is done. Let me get your front." Slowly and carefully, he helped move Levi into a sitting position facing towards him. He took another dollop from the jar and started massaging the medicine into the wounds there, starting from the top and making his way down to the bottom. The two of them were quiet until Eren's fingers skated over a scar that stretched over Levi's lower abdomen.

Levi smiled. "That one's my favorite."

Eren finally smiled back at him. "Mine, too." In fact, that scar had been one of Eren's favorite things about Levi's body for a while now.

_Levi stood shirtless in front of the mirror in the master bedroom for what seemed like the hundredth time. Behind him, Eren sat on the bed holding their infant son, who was sleeping peacefully. The taller man sighed when Levi turned to the side. "You'll be able to go back to your usual training regiment soon. Don't worry, you'll get your abs back."_

_Levi rolled his eyes. "I already know that, brat, and I didn't even gain that much weight. No, I was looking at the scar for your information."_

_Eren smirked. "I think it's sexy."_

_"Shut up."_

_"I'm serious! It's a beautiful thing! You see this adorable little bundle of sweetness I have here? This came from there!"_

_"Shut up or you're gonna wake him," Levi groaned as he slipped a shirt on, secretly smiling. Yeah, when Eren put things that way, the scar stretching across his lower abdomen was kinda sexy, although he honestly couldn't wait until he had his soldier body back again._

But then Levi's smile flattened and his eyes lost their shine. He sighed heavily and said, "You know, I already knew about everything Hanji said yesterday about our son. I know that there are people who want to take him away from us, but I didn't want to believe it."

Eren frowned sadly. "I knew that there were people who didn't approve of our family, but I didn't think that a whole organization bent on destroying us would form. I mean, I know that it's not the entire Military Police. Hell, the Military Police has really cleaned up its act over the years, even though it's still the most corrupt out of the three branches, but it's hard to believe that the religious conservatives within the Military Police still hold any kind of power these days. Most of the public has a higher approval rating of the Survey Corps."

"Hey, by the way, how were you able to avoid being arrested even though you went berserk in Titan form?"

"There were enough witnesses there to say that I did so in reaction to you getting hurt, not that I just lost control. I was conscious of what I was doing the whole time."

"Oh, good.

"Um, when are you going to see Annie?"

Levi shook his head. "Not for a while. I don't want to see her yet."

Eren nodded and rubbed the last of the medicine into Levi's skin. "Fair enough. Alright, all done, let's get these bandages on you." He pulled a clean set from the nightstand drawer and carefully wrapped them around Levi's torso, tight enough so they'd stay on but loose enough so they were comfortable. Once Levi was patched up, Eren helped him slip a pajama top on.

"Thanks," Levi said, laying back down in bed.

Eren smiled and kissed him. "No problem. Alright, now I'm gonna go get put my apron back on and clean until it's time for lunch. If you need anything, let me know." And he headed downstairs.

Levi was feeling quite relaxed by now, between the bath and the massage and the quality time with his husband, so he tried to sleep until an odd smell hit his nose. He used his good arm to sit himself up and sniffed the air, only to realize that the smell was coming from him. He unwrapped a few of the bandages near his shoulder and sniffed, only to feel his sinuses open up.

And then it hit him.

"EREN JAEGER!" he shouted.

"GODDAMMIT, YMIR!" Eren shouted as he ran up the stairs. He burst into the master bedroom and held up a small, pink, frilly apron. "Look at what that ass did! She took my plain white apron from the drying laundry and replaced it with this crap! This is the apron I bet she makes Historia wear!"

"GODDAMMIT, EREN JAEGER, THIS ISN'T MY MEDICINE."

"What?!" Eren exclaimed, suddenly forgetting about the apron. "What the hell is it then?"

"Daddy," came a stuffy voice from the hallway, "my chest feels all numb and tingly…"

"Oh my god, you stupid brat, YOU GOT OUR DAMN MEDICINES MIXED UP. You put NASAL DECONGESTANT on my wounds!"

"What?!"

"Ah-choo!"

"How the hell have you made it this far in life, you idiot?! You can't do a damn thing without someone holding your hand!"

"I'm sorry, they were in similar jars!"

"Please get well soon, Papa, the house is falling apart without you."

"WHEN THE HELL DID YOU GET SO SASSY?!"

"I'll try, baby, don't worry, Papa will save you from the idiot."

Levi couldn't recover fast enough.


	24. Letter Story

Levi sat up in bed as soon as he woke up, gently stretching his right shoulder to relieve the stiffness that had settled in overnight. A week into his recovery, the wounds had healed rather nicely. Fresh, pink skin covered the massive teeth marks, and the bruises around the marks had mostly faded. He still winced at the slight pain around his torso, as the wounds there were closer to his internal organs, but that was nothing the (now properly labelled) medical balm the nurse had given him wouldn't soothe.

With feeling better came the need to get out of bed and go back to his usual routine. He looked to his right and saw his dear husband sleeping soundly, face buried in the fluffy pillows and entire body relaxed. Levi wanted to roll his eyes, but he didn't. He couldn't when he thought about how exhausted Eren must be after everything that had gone down over the past two weeks.

Sighing, Levi got out of bed, gently stretching the rest of his body as he headed to the bathroom to freshen up. He could walk normally now, even though his steps were still a little slower than usual due to the injury on his hip. Still, he was thrilled at the prospect of life going back to normal. He wanted to run the house again.

When he was done washing his face and brushing his teeth, Levi turned to go back to the master bedroom to get dressed, but a certain someone stopped him along the way. "Oh god, I'm sorry I woke up late," Eren said, sounding genuinely remorseful. "Are you okay? Do you need help with anything?"

Levi shook his head. "I'm fine, Eren, really, thank you. I can manage on my own."

"But-!"

"Eren!" Levi's voice became firmer but still maintained its grateful tone. "Eren, really, I swear, I can handle it. I'm fine. I feel so much better. Look, I'm walking and moving my arm without a problem, okay?"

Eren frowned slightly out of rejection. "Okay," he said reluctantly, "if you're sure…"

Levi nodded. "I am, thank you. But what about you? You must be exhausted; you haven't had a proper night's sleep in, what, two weeks? And especially after going berserk in Titan form. You usually sleep for hours after doing that."

Eren shrugged. "I dunno, I guess I ju-" As if to prove Levi's point, the younger let out a long yawn.

Now Levi did roll his eyes. "Alright, back to bed with you," he said, shooing Eren back towards the master bedroom. "C'mon, little brats need their sleep, especially little Shifter brats."

"But, Le-!"

"As your husband and the bearer or your child, I declare that I'm back in charge of this household, and I say that you are to go back to bed and sleep for as long as you need to. If you want, I can order you to do so as your superior officer."

Eren let out a defeated sigh. "Alright, you win." He crawled back into bed, allowing Levi to wrap the soft sheets around him, and immediately felt drowsiness start to take over. "But.. if you don't feel well…come get me…"

"Yeah, yeah," Levi muttered, snugly tucking Eren in and kissing his forehead, "whatever you say."

"I'm serious, Le-!"

"And I'm serious, too. Look, Eren, I appreciate everything you've done, I really do. I know it hasn't been easy. Really, truly, thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. I'm not gonna lie, it was fun being spoiled, but I can't sit still for long. Now that I'm feeling better, I want life to go back to normal. I want to run the house again. You understand?"

Light snoring.

Levi resisted the urge to slap his stupid husband and walked out of the room muttering, "Next time you get hurt I'm rubbing nasal decongestant on your wounds, regenerative powers be damned."

But his mood instantly lightened when he met up with a little friend in the hallway. His son yawned and rubbed his eyes, mumbling a sleepy, "Good morning." The child pulled his hands away and blinked up at the taller figure, only for his eyes to widen and a big smile to spread across his face. "Papa!" he squealed, wrapping his arms around Levi's leg. "You feel all better?"

"Mostly. You?"

"Uh-huh! So are you in charge of the house again?"

"Yup."

"Yay!" The boy's grip tightened.

Levi smirked slightly. "But we have to keep our voices down, okay? We're gonna let Daddy sleep all day since he hasn't had much rest over the past two weeks. He worked really hard to take care of us, so he doesn't have to do any chores today."

The child nodded and pulled away. "I felt kinda bad because I couldn't help Daddy take care of you and the house. I was gonna be his little helper."

Levi's smirk softened into a smile. "Well, you can be my little helper today. I'll make you breakfast, and then we're going to clean whatever Daddy missed. I can count on you for that, right?"

"Yes, Sir!"

"Heh, at ease, Soldier Jaeger, but thank you for your enthusiasm regarding this mission. Now go wash your face and get dressed so we can have breakfast."

"Okay!" The boy ran into the nearby bathroom and shut the door but then opened it again and said, "The medicine switch last week was actually kinda funny."

"It was, wasn't it?"

"But I wouldn't have mixed them up. Just sayin'." And he shut the bathroom door again.

Levi's smirk returned and he headed down the stairs shaking his head. When had the little guy gotten so sassy? Levi made a mental note to watch his language even more than he did around him. While he was okay with his son coming up with a good comeback, he didn't want him swearing. The boy was actually good for cleaning up Levi's dirty mouth.

Just as he passed by the front door to make his way to the kitchen, Levi heard a knock. He opened the door and was met with a very stunned nurse. "Oh, good morning, Mr. Jaeger! I wasn't expecting you to answer!"

"Ah, Eren's sleeping in today. He hasn't gotten a good night's sleep in two weeks."

The nurse smiled. "I guess you're feeling better then, am I right?"

Levi nodded. "Much."

"That's great! This might be the last check-up then."

Levi moved out of the way. "Here, come in. My son's upstairs getting dressed, so doing it in the living room is fine." He closed the door behind her, unbuttoned his pajama top, set it on the nearby couch, and unwound the old bandages surrounding his torso. As soon as his injury came into view, the nurse's eyes widened. She took a few steps forward and stared at the bite marks, her mouth hanging open as she observed each one.

Eventually, she gently pressed her fingers against a mark. "Does that hurt?"

Levi shook his head.

The nurse stepped back and made a turning motion with her fingers. Levi obeyed her instructions so she could see his back, which was exactly the same as his front. The nurse quickly took a notebook from her supply bag and started writing furiously. Levi's eyes narrowed in question at the sound of her pen scribbling, but he didn't say anything, assuming that this nurse was as obsessive with details as Hanji.

After a few minutes of writing, the nurse closed her notebook and put it back in her bag. "Sorry about that, I just wanted to take some notes to bring to the doctor. I brought you some more balm, too, in case you needed it. Even though you're healing remarkably well, I want you to put it on your injuries at least for another day or so. Here, I brought fresh bandages, too. Let me help you out." She took opened the jar and rubbed its contents into Levi's skin. He welcomed her help, as he knew that he wouldn't be able to apply it to his back on his own, and he turned again so she could get his front side, too. She then wrapped the bandages around his torso, nodding at her good work once it was done. "There you go, that should last you for the rest of the day."

Levi put his pajama top back on. "Thank you."

"My pleasure!" the nurse replied, her cheerful persona returning. "Have a nice day!" She waved sweetly at him and headed out the front door just as the littlest Jaeger was coming down the stairs.

"Who was that, Papa?"

"Just the nurse," Levi replied as he walked into the kitchen. "She said that I'm healing really well, so today might be the last check-up."

"Really? That's great!"

The two then fell into a comfortable quiet. Levi pulled a pot from the cabinet and started on breakfast while his son set the table in the dining room. Once that task was done, the boy walked back into the kitchen and watched his papa work. At one point, Levi needed an ingredient from the top shelf of the cabinet. "Hey, Eren, can you-?" he said before he remembered that his tall husband was sleeping upstairs. Upon realizing this, Levi became very quiet, walked into the dining room, came back with a chair, and stood on it so he could reach the shelf. Once he got what he needed, he climbed down, brought the chair back into the dining room, and returned to his work. He didn't have to look at his son to know that a wide, stupid grin was adorning his amused face. "You tell anybody about this and you're grounded."

Once breakfast was eaten, Levi cleaned the dishes, changed into his day clothes, and then laid out the strategy for cleaning the house. "Daddy actually did a decent job keeping the place tidy," he explained as he handed his son a broom with a short handle, the perfect size for a child. "Still, it's not perfect, so we're going to get it up to par today. I'm going to start upstairs, and you're going to start down here. I need you to sweep, okay? And you need to get behind and under the chairs and tables, too. Remember that Daddy is sleeping, so we need to be quiet."

The boy nodded as Levi bent down to tie a bandana on his head. "Okay, I can do that."

Levi nodded back. "Good boy. If you finish, take the rags out of the closet and start dusting. I'll come back down in a little while to check on you."

The boy saluted him. "Yes, Sir!"

Levi took his own broom and rags upstairs and began in his son's room. Because the boy had been sick, he hadn't played much, so his toys weren't spread out all over the place. Levi actually finished his room relatively quickly, making a mental note to wash and replace the sheets later. He then moved into the hallway, tilting the broom upwards so he could clean the corners of the ceiling. Once that was done, he skipped the bathroom for the time being to tackle the master bedroom. Sure enough, Eren was still asleep, curled up underneath the soft blankets, half of his face squished into a pillow. Levi smirked at how comedic his husband looked and then went to work, quietly sweeping the floors and dusting the nightstands and dressers.

At one point, Eren groaned in his sleep. Levi glanced at him to see if he had woken the younger, but Eren just twitched and gripped his pillow a little harder. Levi was actually standing close to Eren when this happened, so he leaned over to make sure his husband wasn't having a nightmare.

Eren let out another groan. "No…Ymir…gimme back my apron. Hnng…stop laughing…Horse Face…"

Levi looked up with unimpressed eyes and held a hand out as if showing his husband off to an invisible audience. "Humanity's Hope, Ladies and Gentlemen."

(The good news was that Eren's apron had been returned to him the same day it had been stolen. Historia had marched Ymir over to the Jaeger house, grabbed the brunette's head, and forced her to bow to Eren, saying, "Please excuse my idiot wife." After the apron trade had been made, the two had marched back to their own home, and Eren had overheard the little blonde shouting about how the apron was going to be Sasha's baby shower gift.)

Once Levi was done cleaning the upstairs rooms, he headed back downstairs only to find his son sitting in the middle of the living room floor with an open box. "What are you doing?" he asked as he looked over the boy's shoulder. "Did you finish cleaning?"

"I found this while I was dusting the tables," the child explained, holding up several sheets of paper. "I'm sorry, Papa, I was curious, but I can't read anything written here. What do these words mean?"

Levi knelt down next to him and smiled fondly at the full box, the slightest hint of a blush forming on his cheeks. "Heh, those words are in another language, baby. It's called French. I should know, since I wrote them."

The child's eyes widened. "Really? You wrote all of these? What are they?"

Levi suddenly kissed the boy's head. "Letters." Another kiss. "Letters I wrote to you." One more kiss. "While I was pregnant with you."

The boy was quiet for a few seconds, contemplating this new discovery, and then his eyes narrowed out of confusion. "Wait, huh? But I was inside your tummy, right? How could you write them to me? And I'm just learning how to read now, so…"

Levi almost chuckled at his questions. "I wasn't expecting you to find them. I was going to give them to you when you were older, but it's okay. I wrote them in French so that only I could read them. Daddy doesn't understand French, so this was my little secret, something just for you and me."

This answer caused the child's face to soften, and he smiled sweetly. "Will you read them to me?" he asked.

Levi smirked. "I have a better idea. Why don't I teach you how to speak French? Then you could read them on your own someday."

The boy's face suddenly lit up with an excitement that Levi hadn't seen in weeks. It felt great to see his adorable son so enthusiastic again. The Jaeger household had been sad for far too long. "You really will, Papa? Yes! Teach me, teach me!"

"Heh, alright, this'll be our little secret, okay?" Levi replied, sitting on the floor and pulling his son into his lap. Cleaning the rest of the house could wait. " _Bonjour, je m'appelle Levi._ Hello, my name is Levi."

" _Bonjour, Levi!"_  the child immediately said back, giggling excitedly. "Hee, this is funny, calling Papa by his real name."

His cheer was infectious. "Good, now you know how to greet someone," Levi explained. "Now here's a really important sentence. Actually, it's written right here on this letter." He pointed at the last sentence on the sheet his son was holding. "See this?  _Je t'aime._ I love you." And he sealed this statement with another kiss on the boy's head.

His son immediately looked up at him and smiled calmly, but the utter joy was still apparent all over his face..  _"Je t'aime, Papa."_

Another kiss.  _"Je t'aime."_

What neither one of them knew was that someone was listening in on their little lesson.

_"Ein Geheimnis?"_ Eren whispered. " _Ilginç."_

* * *

_January 29th_

_Dear baby,_

_You're due to arrive any day now. I'm both relieved and terrified. Relieved because I won't be sick or in pain anymore. My back hurts so badly, and it's hard to walk on my swollen feet, which I can't even see. You also have a bad habit of deciding that the middle of the night is playtime, so I haven't gotten much sleep lately. And of course you had to kick me in the side right after I wrote that._

_But I'm also truly terrified. Daddy knows how terrified I am, but he hasn't brought it up, not since my meltdown. He's scared, too, but he's been trying to stay strong for me. You really won the parent jackpot getting him as your daddy. I know I'm not going to be much of a papa. I know you'll probably hate me. I'm mean and aloof and a clean freak and no fun whatsoever. I won't blame you if you end up loving Daddy more. He's the fun one. He's the one who's always smiling, the one who gets along with everyone and has no problem making friends. I hope you'll look and act more like him, because you deserve to be happy._

_Even if you don't love me, I'll keep loving you no matter who or what you are. I admit it: I'm scared that you might not be human. I had a horrible nightmare once that I gave birth to a Titan. It was truly one of the scariest, worst dreams I've ever had. But, the more I think about it, the more I don't care. So what if you are a Titan? I'll still love you. I'll still protect you no matter what. I'll never let those idiots in the Military Police or anyone else hurt you, and I'll never let Hanji experiment on you. You'll still be my baby, even if you're a Titan._

_Despite all of my fears, I can't wait to meet you. Please go easy on me though. I'm a little worried about the delivery, too, but whatever. Any pain will be a small price to pay to be able to hold you in my arms._

_Please come soon._

_I love you._

_Papa_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Ein Geheimnis?" (German) "A secret?"
> 
> "Ilginç." (Turkish) "Interesting."


	25. Photo Story

"DADDY! Daddy, Daddy, DADDYYYYYYYYYY!"

The child ran down the stairs as fast as his little legs could carry him, making a sharp turn once he landed at the bottom and rushing towards the kitchen. At last, he spotted his daddy, who was standing over the stove stirring their breakfast in a large pot. Eren turned at the sound of the excited voice, and he grinned as he knelt down to swipe the child up into a big hug, complete with plenty of kisses.

"Good morning, baby!" he greeted between those kisses.

The boy giggled and squealed, wrapping his arms around Eren's neck. "Good morning, Daddy! Happy Birthday!"

Eren couldn't help the laugh that escaped his lips, but he quickly went back to showering his son with kisses and the occasional little nip at one of his chubby cheeks. The boy just hugged tighter, now kicking his legs on both Eren's sides.

Soon Eren stopped his onslaught of affection, and the child calmed down, resting his head on Eren's shoulder while still hanging onto his neck. Eren turned back to stirring the food, a pleasant smile now gracing his features. "Thank you, baby, what a greeting."

The boy giggled quietly as he felt a sense of pride well up within him. "I was looking for Papa so we could greet you together, but I can't find him."

"Have you tried using the magnifying glass?"

"Not funny!"

The two looked at each other with serious eyes until the boy's offended facade broke and restrained laughter left his lips. "Okay, maybe a little funny."

Eren's grin returned. "Papa actually went out early this morning. He said he had an errand to run before the day got started. Heh, even though he's all better now, I can't help but worry a little still. Or maybe I just want him all to myself on my special day."

"Is he gonna give you a special birthday kiss when he gets back?"

"I hope so!"  _And maybe some other special birthday thing later…_

As if magically summoned, the front door opened and Levi walked into the house, carrying a hefty bundle at his side. "Good morning, Papa!" he heard his son say, and he looked up with a smile.

"Good morning," he replied, walking into the kitchen and holding out the bundle for Eren. "Happy Birthday."

Eren grinned and set their son down so he could kiss Levi and get a better look at what the shorter man was holding. His eyes widened when he saw the large bouquet of colorful flowers wrapped in old newspapers. "For me? Really?" he asked, disbelief in his voice and on his face. "Oh my gosh, Levi, you didn't have to do that. This must have cost a fortune since the wildflowers aren't blooming yet."

Levi shrugged. "You're worth it."

A giddy feeling of love burst in Eren's chest, and he immediately swooped down to capture his husband's lips again. They both smiled into the kiss when they heard their son giggle, so Eren quickly tipped Levi over backwards as if they had just finished a ballroom dance number and kissed him even more passionately. Their son squealed and hid his blushing face behind his little hands, peeking between his fingers every few seconds.

Levi broke away first. "Okay, that's enough, birthday brat," he chided, gently smacking the side of Eren's head and standing up straight. "I gotta put these in water. Sorry I wasn't here to make you breakfast."

"Oh no, it's fine!" Eren replied as he reached up into the cabinet and brought a vase down for his husband. "I don't mind. I mean, I can cook and all-"

Levi shook his head as he filled the vase. "Nah, that won't do. I'll make you whatever you want for dinner."

Eren's face brightened a little. "…Beef and vegetable soup?"

"Whatever you want."

"You're the greatest!"

"You're damn right I am."

"Meat for dinner!" their son cheered, bouncing in his spot. "Can we play until then, Daddy?"

"Daddy's going out with Aunt Mikasa for lunch today," Levi called from the dining room as he set the vase on the table. "He goes out with her for lunch every year, remember?"

"But we'll play until she comes to pick me up!" Eren agreed, taking the pot off the shove and carrying it into the dining room. "After I get back though, we have to take care of something. Then we'll play again until dinner."

The boy looked at his parents, confused. "What do we have to do?"

Eren grinned. "Take a picture."

* * *

Around noon there was a knock on the door. Eren got up from playing with his son in the middle of the living room floor to answer it, smiling when he saw his sister. Mikasa threw her arms around him and smiled back as she felt her brother embrace her. "Oh, when was the last time I saw you that wasn't work-related?" she asked. "Connie and Sasha's wedding?"

"Too long," Eren replied, pulling away so he could pull his spring jacket from the closet.

Mikasa looked into the living room and smiled slightly. "How are you feeling, Levi?"

"Much better, thanks," the older man replied, looking up from his book. "Aside from one little switch-up incident, Eren did a good job taking care of me."

Mikasa suddenly frowned. "Did it leave scars?"

Levi nodded. "That's nothing new though. Oh, and…thank you. You saved my life."

The woman's smile returned. "As long as you're okay, that's all that matters."

Eren smiled at seeing the two of them get along. After all, Mikasa's first impression of Levi hadn't exactly led to a rousing endorsement of the captain being put in charge of keeping Eren under control. She had also been the first person Eren told when he realized he had feelings for the older man, and her initial reaction had been an odd mixture of confusion, happiness, and a strong desire to protest. However, she had just wrapped her arms around her brother and said, "If he makes you happy, then that makes me happy." And the relationship, Eren guessed, had grown from there.

"Alright, let's go," Eren said, and Mikasa stepped outside. He looked back at his family and added, "I'll be back later, around the same time the photographer is supposed to arrive."

Levi nodded. "Have fun."

"Bye-bye, Daddy!"

"See ya!" Eren waved to his husband and son and then closed the door behind him.

After a few minutes of quiet, the boy grew tired of playing alone. He didn't mind it, but he much preferred to play with his daddy since Eren was such a great playmate. The boy sighed and set his toy soldiers aside, turning to Levi to see him fully absorbed in his book. The child hesitated for a moment, not wanting to annoy his papa, but his curiosity was eating away at him.

"Papa?"

"Hmm?"

"Why are we taking a picture today?"

Levi didn't look up from his book. "It's Daddy's birthday present. He wants to take a family portrait."

"Oh."

Silence.

"Papa?"

"Hmm?"

"When I found your letters that one time, there was another box near them, but I didn't look inside it. What was in that other box?"

Now Levi looked up, his face slightly paler than usual. He was quiet for a few seconds before saying, "You found that box, too?"

A nod.

"And you want to know what's inside it?"

Another nod.

Levi sighed and stood, setting his book down. "Alright, I guess there's no point in hiding it. C'mere, let me show you." He opened the cabinet underneath the nearby table that held the two boxes. He pulled the mystery box out just as his son came to stand by his side and opened it to reveal a paper-wrapped package. His son watched carefully as he carefully set the paper aside and held up the box's contents.

Photographs.

"These are the photos we've taken over the years," Levi explained. "Photos are expensive so Daddy and I have only had a few taken at major points in our life together. Here's the first one." He passed it to his son, whose eyes immediately lit up.

"Is this…?"

Levi nodded. "Our wedding photo."

A huge smile spread across the boy's face as he noticed every little detail the picture held. It was better than what he had imagined. His daddy and papa were standing with their bodies facing one another and their heads tilted towards the camera. Their hands were held up between them, their rings visible and shining. Eren was dressed in his black suit with a white shirt, and Levi was dressed his white suit with a black shirt. Both were wearing their flower crowns, and both looked like they couldn't be happier.

But one little thing was bothering the child. "Papa, why didn't you just show me this picture when you and Daddy were telling me about your wedding day?"

Levi flushed slightly and hoped the boy wouldn't notice. "Well, we were at Uncle Connie and Aunt Sasha's wedding, remember?" he asked back. "Besides, you were already asleep by the time we made it home, and it was past your bedtime, so we weren't going to wake you up."

The boy shrugged slightly, somewhat accepting the answer, and then smiled. "You and Daddy look just like how I imagined you did," he said. "Better even."

Levi also wore a gentle smile. "Thank you." He pulled out the next photo, this one more wide than it was long. "This one is from our first anniversary. Your daddy wanted a big party, so we invited all our friends and took one big group photo."

"Hee, everyone looks so silly," the child giggled as he held the picture up.

And it was true. No one in the picture was standing normally, and a few weren't even perfectly clear. Sasha, Connie, and Ymir had all moved, making them appear blurry. Jean was pulling one of his stupid facial expressions while Reiner was laughing. Bertholdt and Annie were on the opposite side, the former looking distressed while the latter looked completely uninterested. Mikasa's look mirrored Annie's. Historia was trying to get Ymir under control. Next to them was Hanji wearing a big grin. Eren and Levi were in the center of it all, the brunet trying to smile for the camera while the raven looked like he was about to kill someone.

In short, they all looked exactly how they usually looked.

"We wanted a nice, normal picture, but we knew there was no way we'd get all of them to stay still at once," Levi explained. "So this was close enough."

The boy giggled again and handed the photo back. "What about that one?" He pointed to the last photo in the pile."

The faint flush returned to Levi's cheeks, and he placed the other two photos back on top of the third one. "Ask Daddy when he gets home."

"But-!"

"Ask Daddy."

And that was that. Levi rewrapped the photos, placed them back in the box, and shut the cabinet.

* * *

Eren and Mikasa returned from their lunch about an hour and a half later. "We're back!" Eren announced. By this time, Levi and his son had eaten their own lunch, and they were both calmly sitting back in the living room as if they hadn't moved the whole time.

Levi looked up from his book. "Welcome back. You have a nice lunch?"

Eren nodded. "Yeah, it was good. Oh, um, Mikasa is gonna join us for the photo, okay? I did say I wanted it to be a family portrait after all."

Levi glanced at the woman standing next to his husband, and his eyes narrowed slightly. Mikasa's eyes were slightly pink as if she had been crying, but the smile she wore was genuine. She seemed to be okay overall, but Levi couldn't help but think that her lunch with Eren had been about more than just the man's birthday.

Regardless, Levi shrugged and stood. "Fine by me. The photographer isn't here yet, so we have some time. Make yourself comfortable, Mikasa, I'm going upstairs to change."

"Hmm, thank you," the woman replied, shyly bringing her scarf up over her mouth as she sat down in an empty chair. Levi walked past her and up the stairs just as Eren hung up his coat and started making his way towards the kitchen.

"Wait, Daddy!" the boy called, jumping up and tugging on the end of his shirt. "Papa told me to ask you about something when you came home. There's a picture in the box underneath the cabinet that he wouldn't tell me about. What's it a picture of?"

Eren grinned at the question, piquing both his son's and Mikasa's interests. He walked into the living room, his son tailing close behind, opened the cabinet, took out the box, and unwrapped the photos inside. He set the first two aside and then held up the third one for his son to see. Mikasa angled herself so she could see the photo, too, and, oh, was it a sight to see.

Levi was sitting in a plush armchair holding their son, who couldn't have been more than a week old. Eren was standing, leaning over him, and the two were caught in a loving kiss. The infant in Levi's arms was staring at the two of them, his eyes wide open in wonder.

Eren spoke when the boy did not. "It was actually an accident. Papa wouldn't let me take any photos of him while he was pregnant, so we agreed that we would take a photo after you were born when he had recovered enough. We were supposed to take a normal family portrait, but we ran into a few problems…"

_Eren opened the door to the master bedroom and smiled. Levi was sitting up in bed, lovingly cradling and feeding their infant son. Levi seemed at peace, as if this life was the life he had always wanted. The question of how the little boy had become part of his and Eren's lives remained a mystery, but neither parent really cared by this point. Their son was happy, healthy, and adorable, and that was more than perfect._

_"Hey," Eren said quietly, not wanting to disturb meal time._

_Levi looked up with a tired smile. Neither one had really gotten much sleep over the past week, but, again, neither one really cared. "Hey."_

_"The photographer will be here in a few minutes," Eren continued, kneeling down next to his husband. "We should get you downstairs."_

_"Eren, do we really have to do this?" Levi almost whined._

_The younger nodded. "I heard that babies grow and change really quickly. He looks different than he did a week ago, and he'll probably look different next week! I want to have a permanent reminder of how we all looked at this point in our lives."_

_Levi rolled his eyes. "Like a baby, a brat, and a tired mess."_

_"Oh, come on, you don't look bad."_

_"Eren…"_

_"Just the opposite. You look like a papa, and that's the best look you've ever worn."_

_Levi turned his head towards Eren with a grateful smile, and the two gently pressed their noses together. "When did you learn to say such wonderful things?"_

_At that moment, the infant pulled away and started making soft whining noises. Meal time was officially over, so Levi propped him up against his towel-covered chest and gently rubbed his back, only stopping when he heard a small burping sound. The infant drooled a little, and Eren quickly wiped the mess away. When he was set, Levi brought him back into his embrace, and the baby's eyes began to close._

_"Aw, I wanted his eyes open for the photo," Eren complained quietly._

_"I'm just glad he's not crying," Levi sighed. "Alright, help me get a bathrobe on or something. I'm not taking a photo in my pajamas." He handed the infant to Eren and eased himself out of bed. He was still sore a week after giving birth, so he needed his husband's help for even the simplest tasks. Eren didn't mind at all, loving that he could spend so much quality time with his little family._

_With his free hand, Eren helped Levi slip the bathrobe on and gently held his husband close to his side. Slowly but surely, they descended the stairs and walked to the living room. Levi sat in one of the plush armchairs and then took the infant back in his arms._

_Just then there was a knock on the front door. Eren opened it to reveal the photographer, a sweet-looking young woman with a messy mop of dark hair. She smiled brightly as Eren greeted her, and she stepped inside with her camera. She made some comment about how the living room actually had great lighting, but Levi was barely listening, too wrapped up in gently stroking his son's cheek. Maybe the infant would wake up long enough for the photo?_

_Before Levi knew it, Eren was standing at his side, and the photographer was instructing them on where to move and how to look. Eren took a few more small steps towards Levi, and Levi slightly tilted his head in Eren's direction. Eventually the photographer nodded at their positions and said, "Alright, ready? Three, two, one!"_

_…Nothing._

_"Eh?" The photographer ducked out from underneath her cover and tapped her camera's side. "Ugh, I'm so sorry, I don't know why it's not working. Gimme a sec." She opened the latch and started fiddling with the machinery inside._

_Levi sighed heavily and turned back to his son, who was still sleeping peacefully in his arms. Eren leaned over to get a better look at the infant and smiled wide. He reached out and tapped the boy's nose, making Levi turn back towards him and smile back. They thought the same thing: "We're so lucky," and they celebrated that fact with a kiss._

_FLASH!_

_The photographer jumped back, and Eren and Levi immediately separated and stared at her. She stared back and quietly laughed, embarrassed. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to do that. I'll take another one for you, no charge."_

_"No," Eren insisted, laughing along with her. "Develop that one."_

* * *

_A week later, they received the photo._

_"…His eyes are open."_

The child looked up at Eren, a giddy smile on his face. "Maybe that's why I get really happy when I see you and Papa kiss."

Eren grinned back at him. "Maybe."

But then the child's face fell. "Wait…it's such a nice picture. Why did Papa tell me to ask you about it? And why aren't any of these pictures out?"

Eren's grin widened. "I'm going to tell you a secret, okay?" He glanced back at his sister. "This is between the three of us." He turned back to his son. "Papa is really shy. I mean REALLY shy. For him, this is something very personal, something he doesn't want to share with the world. So this is a Jaeger family treasure, okay?"

The boy pointed to the other two pictures. "But can we put these out?"

"If you want to."

The trio looked up to see Levi coming down the stairs. He was dressed in nice clothes, and a tiny smirk was tugging at his lips. "If you like them, baby, we'll put them out on the shelf over the fireplace."

Just then, there was a knock at the front door. Levi opened it and greeted the photographer, the same woman who had photographed the treasured picture years ago. She smiled the same bright smile and set up her camera in the living room. With the pictures put up behind them, the flowers brought in from the dining room, and the entire Jaeger family instructed on where to move and how to pose, the woman ducked her head underneath the cover. "Ready?" she called. "Three, two, one, Happy Birthday, Mr. Jaeger!"

And, this time, the camera worked properly, capturing the celebration, the family, and the moment just as planned.

_FLASH!_


	26. Promise Story

Eren felt lips on his forehead, slowly and sweetly dragging him out of his sleepy bliss. "C'mon, time to wake up. Clean up and get dressed. Uniform today," a voice said. He blinked a few times, and his husband pulling away came into focus. Levi was half-dressed and had his 3D Maneuver Gear harness in his hands, the site of which made Eren sit up, yawn, and stretch.

"What's going on?" he asked between his yawns. "Meeting today? Don't remember one being scheduled…"

"Sort of," Levi replied as he slipped the leather bands over his shirt and pants and buckled them up. "We're going into Wall Sina. The trial is today."

Now Eren was awake. He stared at his husband with wide, disbelieving eyes and threw the sheets off his body. "Wait, what?" he gasped. "Since when?"

Levi sighed and finished up with the buckles. "Since a week ago when I sent the Supreme Commander a note agreeing to appear in court today."

"Why didn't you tell me!"

"I didn't want you making a big deal about it."

"But I think I have the right to know!"

"And that's why I'm telling you. Seriously, go wash up and put your uniform on."

"But what about-!"

"I already asked Sasha to babysit. I told him that we have a very important meeting today, which isn't entirely a lie."

Eren let out a long, annoyed sigh and shook his head, knowing he couldn't really protest. Levi had made his decision, and Eren couldn't change his mind. The younger couldn't help but still worry though. Yes, Levi had made a full recovery since the expedition, but Eren was more concerned with his mental state than his physical state. He was still rather angry at Hanji's explanation as to why Levi had been hurt in the first place, but, if Levi was feeling the same way, neither one had showed such emotions in the month since the expedition. Eren wasn't so sure if he wanted to face that reality.

However, neither one had a choice.

* * *

After dropping their son off at the Braus-Springer household ("Your tummy got bigger, Aunt Sasha!" the boy had excitedly said, the woman giggling along with him. "Hi, Aunt Sasha's baby!"), Eren and Levi travelled in silence with Connie to the courthouse. The whole journey to the interior of Wall Sina took quite some time, so much that it was early afternoon by the time they arrived. Military Police guards saluted them as they entered the building, but only Connie saluted back. Levi was too busy staring straight ahead while Eren was preoccupied watching Levi.

Inside the building, they met up with the rest of their friends and the other witnesses from the Survey Corps. Armin greeted Eren with a kind smile, and Eren smiled back silently, thankful for the gesture. If Levi noticed it, he didn't make any indicated that he had.

The crowds quickly filed into the court room, and Eren felt his jaw clench slightly. It was the same courtroom where he had been tried all those years ago after the Battle for Trost, where the Survey Corps and Military Police had fought for control over him, and where his future husband had beaten the stuffing out of him to save his life. Eren still didn't know if Levi had done that just because it had been his duty or if because he had actually had feelings for him at the time, but that was a moment in their past that they didn't discuss. Not only did it bring up bad memories for them as a couple, but it also reminded them of humanity's lowest point in their war against the Titans.

Much to Eren's surprise, Levi reached for his hand and gently held it as soon as everyone was settled. The raven's face remained stoic, staring straight across the room at where the religious conservatives were standing, but Eren felt the warmth of his husband's light grip, and that was enough to settle his nerves at least a little bit.

But he didn't have too much time to relax. The courtroom doors opened, and the three suspects from the expedition entered. Each one was handcuffed and guarded by armed Military Police, but the sight of them alone made Levi's grip on Eren's hand tighten. Suddenly holding hands was less about settling Eren's nerves and more about making sure Levi didn't lose his temper.

Levi glared at them as they were seated in the center of the courtroom, each one facing the Supreme Commander, and then momentarily also fixed his gaze on the imposing man overlooking the case.  _Zackley just won't die already,_ he thought bitterly.  _That should be Erwin up there._

Zackley cleared his throat and ordered for everyone to quiet down. He shuffled through his papers for a few seconds before saying, "We shall now begin the trial. The three men sitting before me are accused of sneaking into and spying on the Survey Corps and attempting the murder of Lance Corporal Levi Jaeger. Gentlemen, how do you plead?"

The man in the middle, a blond with prominent nose and a crooked mouth, smirked and said, "Not Guilty."

Zackley's eyes widened momentarily, but then he said, "Very well. We shall hear from Levi himself first."

Levi's gaze shifted away from the scene for a brief moment, but then he looked back towards the center of the room and, in his usual calm, detached voice, said, "The only thing I clearly remember from the attack was someone crashing into me from behind just as a Titan stretched its neck out towards me. I didn't see the attacker's face. After that, I vaguely remember Mikasa Ackerman lying me down in a cart. Next thing I knew, I was in a hospital."

Zackley gave a confirming grunt and said, "According to several eyewitness accounts, including that of Mikasa Ackerman, Eren Jaeger transformed into a Titan in reaction to you being bitten. He then proceeded to kill every Titan in the area before finally crawling out of his Titan on his own."

"Yes, I was told the same thing."

"Eren Jaeger, is this true?"

Eren nodded. "Yes, Sir."

Zackley turned back to his papers. "I see. Well, at least you seem to have mastered control over your Titan form. That's good news, if nothing else. Now then, I'd like to hear from Armin Arlert next. If I'm not mistaken, another prisoner set to go on trial named Annie Leonhart supplied you with information regarding several Military Police members."

Armin bit his lip before saying, "Yes, that's true. She spied on anyone in the Military Police she deemed suspicious, compiled everything, and left all the information in a backpack at my house the morning the expedition began."

Zackley eyed the blond. "Anyone she deemed suspicious of what?"

"I don't know, Sir, but the information she left for us helped us save Lance Corporal Levi and capture the three suspects before us. If possible, I'd like for the court to keep that in mind."

The Supreme Commander shook his head. "This is not the trial to decide Annie Leonhart's fate. Please do not bring your personal feelings into this, Mr. Arlert."

Armin swallowed hard, tiny beads of sweat beginning to form on his brow. "Yes, Sir, my apologies."

Surprisingly enough, Zackley's face suddenly softened, and he said, "However, there is information relevant to this case in what you are saying. Because Annie Leonhart left those descriptions with you, you are able to confirm that these three Military Police members were out with the Survey Corps on the most recent expedition, yes?"

"Yes, Sir!" Armin said a little too quickly, but he caught himself and then calmly added, "Connie Braus-Springer can, too. He arrived at the gate early, so I had time to share the documents with him before the expedition began."

"Is Connie Braus-Springer present?"

"Yes, Sir!" the small man replied, raising his arm momentarily. "The first suspect, the man on the left there, crashed into Lance Corporal Levi and forced him into the Titan's mouth. After Mikasa killed that Titan, the second suspect, the man in the center, tried to grab Levi, but I flew up and tackled him before he could. That was when Mikasa caught Levi and placed him in the first aid cart. Once Eren had crawled out of his Titan form, we placed him in the cart, too, and headed back towards the Walls. We didn't spot the third suspect until we made it back, but there was enough evidence so that all three of them could be arrested."

Zakcley looked at his papers again and nodded as his eyes scanned each line. Eventually he looked up and said, "Thank you. Your story agrees with the reports co-written by the Survey Corps and Garrison."

Eren raised a brow at those words and slightly leaned towards Mikasa on his side opposite Levi. "The Garrison is involved in this, too?"

"They were the ones who took you, Levi, and Jean to the hospital," his sister whispered back. "The Military Police was preoccupied with arresting the suspects and Annie, so the Garrison helped us get the help you three needed. They greeted us at the Walls, so they saw the return first-hand and could co-write the reports. They've been helping us push this case in our direction from behind the scenes for the past month."

Eren's eyes widened slightly, and he straightened up before anyone could notice them talking. He had been so focused on Levi at the time and since the expedition that he suddenly realized how much he had missed. He glanced down the line of soldiers until his eyes locked with Rico's, and the two nodded at each other, a silent "thank you" and "you're welcome."

"So, Gentlemen," Zackley continued, forcing Eren's attention back towards the trial, "the case against you is quite strong, but I'd like to hear your story." He set his papers and glasses down and stared at the three men with a look implying that they had already lost.

The blond man in the middle just smirked again, his face contorting in a creepy sort of way that made Levi's hand tighten around Eren's even more. The man turned his attention towards Levi as if sensing the action and said, "We don't deny that we snuck into the Survey Corps and attacked the Lance Corporal."

Zackley's eyes widened slightly. "So you confess then?"

The man turned back to the Supreme Commander, and his smirk turned into a full grin. "We cannot confess if we did not commit a crime. Supreme Commander, we were doing humanity a favor."

Hushed whispers broke out from every section of the courtroom. Levi's eyes darkened.

Zackley looked less than impressed. "Explain yourself."

The man sighed as if the answer was obvious. "Lance Corporal Levi Jaeger and his so-called 'family' are a threat to humanity. He's married to a monster, first of all. How can we be so sure that Eren Jaeger hasn't mastered his control over his Titan form so he could use it to betray us? How do we know that the Survey Corps isn't training him to attack the rest of us and take control over our society, over the entire world? How do we know that he won't use that form to lead an army of Titans through all three of our Walls and have us eaten if we resist enslavement? Pair him up with the strongest freak alive and, well, I think you can see where I'm going here. We call them inspirational things like 'Humanity's Strongest' and 'Humanity's Hope' to comfort ourselves and ignore the truth. Both of them are monsters. Both of them are dangerous. Allowing the two of them to live and work together is what will lead to humanity's extinction. We were doing humanity a FAVOR by going after them."

"And don't forget about that demon child they bred!" someone among the religious conservatives added, pointing at Eren and Levi from across the room. "Explain how you, A MAN, gave birth to a child, Lance Corporal! Oh, how humanity has been cursed by the Devil's spawn!"

"SHUT THE HELL UP!" Eren shouted, jaw trembling and eyes a venomous shade of green. "YOU HAVE NO DAMN IDEA WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!"

"Then explain yourself if you know so much! Why don't you tell all of us what you're hiding?!"

"We're not hiding anything! We don't KNOW how our son was conceived!"

"Then you can't prove that he's not some sort of human-Titan hybrid monster. You shameful, twisted freaks probably created him as part of your plan to conquer humanity. You're the REAL criminals in this case! Death would be too easygoing a punishment for you, even though our world would be so much better off without you!"

"YOU'RE THE ONES THIS WORLD WOULD BE BETTER OFF WITHO-!" Eren screamed until Levi yanked him backwards so hard he stumbled on his own feet. The taller panted heavily as he stared down at his husband, face red and eyes wide with hatred.

"Calm down," Levi whispered, keeping a straight face even though his eyes had gone dangerously dark. "Trust me, the only thing I want to do is rip their faces off, but we can't let ourselves react to their taunts, and that's all they have against us right now." He gave Eren's hand a reassuring squeeze and glared at the religious conservatives, who glared right back. "You truly believe that we're hiding all that?" he asked casually. "In that case, why have we continued to risk our lives outside the Walls all these years, even after our son was born? Why have we so often left him behind to fight?"

"You can't prove that you left him behind!" the suspect in the middle suddenly shouted, stirring up several protests from the Survey Corps.

Zackley slammed his fist down, silencing the room. Everyone watched him carefully, the atmosphere tensing as he sighed and looked towards the Survey Corps as if he were bored and already fed up with the trial. "Just for the sake of hanging onto order in this court, where was your son during the expedition, Eren, Levi?"

Eren swallowed hard. "We left him with Sasha Braus-Springer."

Zackley looked at Connie. "Sasha Braus-Springer is a member of the Survey Corps, too, is she not? Why did she not go on the expedition?"

The small man tensed slightly. "My wife is pregnant, Sir."

Zackley looked back down at his papers and quickly shuffled through them. A Garrison soldier rushed up to his side and handed him another short stack of papers, whispering something the rest of the soldiers couldn't hear. Zackley nodded and shuffled through the new papers until he said, "Ah yes, here it is, Sasha Braus-Springer is indeed currently on maternity leave. Well then, that takes care of that."

"THE SURVEY CORPS IS LYING!" the suspect in the middle suddenly screamed, face red and sweaty. He frantically whipped his head from side to side, looking for his comrades' support, but the two other men just looked away from him, as if to say that they had lost. He stared back up at the Supreme Commander and desperately sobbed, "How can you possibly believe they're not a threat to humanity when they go around parading that little demon of theirs? Humanity has no proof that the kid isn't a Titan or some sort of monster. Born from a man and a Titan…he will be humanity's downfall!"

Zackley rubbed his eyes with his thumb and index finger, obviously tired. This trial had gone on for far too long. "That is hardly what this case is about."

"THAT'S EVERYTHING THIS CASE IS ABOUT! THAT CHILD NEEDS TO BE EXPERIMENTED ON AND THEN KILLED!"

This time, Mikasa, Connie, and the rest of their friends had to hold both Eren and Levi back from jumping the bars and beating the life out of the man. At one point Eren brought his hand to his mouth, but Mikasa slammed it down before he could bite it. He stared at her, eyes swimming with tears and and jaw clenched so tightly it ached after a few seconds. Beside him, one of Levi's arms was stretched out, his hand reaching and clawing for the accused man. His eyes were also wide, though the tears were less noticeable.

Zackley groaned loudly and rubbed his eyes again. "This has all gone on for far too lo-"

"WHY HAS NO ONE EXPERIMENTED ON THE KID?"

"Will somebody gag this man please?"

Garrison soldiers immediately swooped in and tied a cloth around the man's mouth, acting as if they had been waiting since the man had started speaking to do so. Rico tied the knot with a satisfied twist of the cloth.

Zackley's expression was unreadable as he turned back towards Eren and Levi, who had calmed down somewhat but still held a murderous aura around them. The Supreme Commander didn't question them, understanding their rage. "Gentlemen, there is no doubt in my mind that these three suspects are guilty of the crimes of which they are accused, and I'm seeing quite a bit of jail time in their near futures. However, there is one point I would like to touch upon while we're all gathered here, even though we HAVE discussed this before. In general, we have all been very accepting of your family, regardless of how it came to be, chalking it up to another Titan-related mystery that we may never solve. But the reason it hasn't been solved is because we have never tried to solve it."

"He's just a child, Sir!" Eren said desperately, voice breathy and unusually high. "An innocent child! We just want him to have as much of a normal childhood as he possibly can, despite the circumstances. Levi and I plan to tell him all about Titans and everything we know once he's older. But, for now…"

"What do you mean by 'older?'"

"I don't know, maybe a teenager?"

"Hn. Well, I can't blame you for wanting to protect your child. Any decent parent would do the same. Still, the fact remains-"

"The fact remains that we are his parents and can raise him how we wish," Levi interrupted, voice firm with a remaining tinge of anger.

"The fact remains that there are many unsolved mysteries surrounding him," Zackley shot back. "Is Hanji Zoe present?"

"Yes, Sir," the brunette replied, raising her hand momentarily. She stood a few soldiers down from Eren and Levi, further away from the Supreme Commander.

"Do you believe that you should experiment on and/or with the child?"

"Yes, Sir, I do."

Levi's head whipped her in direction. "DAMN FOUR EY-!"

"But I refuse to do so until the child can properly consent."

Levi's mouth hung open.

Zackley raised a brow. "That's interesting, I never thought I'd hear that from you."

"With all due respect, Sir, I would never force a human to take part in an experiment. Eren Jaeger willingly consented to all experiments I've ever done with him, and that same policy extends to anyone else. And besides…I made a promise."

_"Levi!" Hanji squealed, slamming the door to the master bedroom open and marching inside, an excited smile on her face. She leaned over Levi, who was curled up in a bed covered in towels with a bucket at his side, and poked his back. "Hey, c'mon, you little oven, get up, I gotta talk to you about something."_

_"Hanji, please don't," Eren begged from behind her. "Levi feels really sick today."_

_"I never got any samples from when he announced the little bun. It'd be great if he threw up!"_

_"What! That's horrible! …Wait, bun…what?"_

_"He's got a bun in the oven, right? Isn't that what people say?"_

_"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT?" Levi's voice boomed out from underneath the covers. Eren instantly shuffled backwards so he was outside the room, fearing his husband's wrath._

_Hanji wore a satisfied smile. "Oh, you are awake. Good! Like I said, I got some stuff to talk to you about. Like, when's your next doctor's appointment? I wanna come. Oh, and I seriously NEED to be at the delivery, okay? And what about experiments? When can the ki-"_

_"NEVER."_

_Levi sat straight up, turned and glared at Hanji with his most venomous gaze. Despite his disheveled, sickly appearance, Hanji still took a step back, surprised by his sudden outburst._

_"Never," Levi repeated, voice trembling with anger. "You will NEVER experiment on my child. You will never touch my child, YOU WON'T LAY A DAMN FINGER ON MY CHILD. You won't even come NEAR my child, EVER."_

_"But, Le-!"_

_"EVER!"_

_At this, Levi began coughing, and Eren rushed to his side with the bucket. Hanji watched with a blank expression as Eren rubbed the older man's back, doing what little he could do to comfort him. Feeling weak, Levi leaned against Eren's broad chest and glared up at Hanji, silently commanding her to leave._

_But she didn't and, after a moment, Levi added, "At least not until he or she can properly consent to whatever the hell you want to try. And I'll be the one to decide if he or she is old enough."_

_"…Agreed."_

Zackley nodded. "I see. Well, since the boy seems to pose no threat to humanity as of right now, I don't see any reason to expedite any experiments. And now, truly, this has gone on for far too long. The verdict: Guilty. Lock them up. The rest of you are dismissed."

* * *

"Oh my god, it's a good thing those guys are being put away because, I swear, if I see 'em again I'll break their faces," Eren rambled as he and Levi were walked out of the building. "Can you believe their reasoning? And what about the religious conservatives? Ridiculous! I didn't think people like them EXISTED in this world! Seriously, the world would be so much better off without them."

"Excuse me," Levi said to the Military Police guard walking with them, ignoring Eren, "could you please take me to the prison cells? I have an appointment with Annie Leonhart."

Eren stopped short and stared at his husband, baffled as the guard led him around a corner towards a staircase. "Hey, wait!" he called, running to catch up with them. "Levi, are you sure? After all we've been through today? You don't need to see Annie; no one said you had to attend both trials today."

"I'm not attending her trial," Levi replied, voice oddly calm. "I'm merely going to speak with her. I've already informed Zackley, and I've been granted the authority to decide her fate after this meeting if I so choose."

"But-!"

"Wait, what?" Armin gasped, overhearing the conversation and rushing towards them. Reiner and Bertholdt, who had been walking behind Armin, did the same, their breathing shallow and their eyes frightened.

"No one else can attend this meeting besides a guard," the Military Police solider stated. "Eren, if you'd like, you may wait here. The rest of you, especially you three, need to leave the building now."

Reiner went to protest, but Armin quickly grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the scene, Bertholdt following close behind. Eren watched helplessly as they left and then turned to watch his husband and the guard close the door to the prison cells behind them.

* * *

"Ugh, I can't believe it," Reiner groaned as he sat on the edge of a fountain outside the courthouse. "This is so messed up. This whole day has been messed up. Why did the Supreme Commander grant Levi the authority to determine whether or not Annie goes free? It's not fair!"

Armin shrugged. "I don't know. But…we can't hate Levi for what he decides. And, if he doesn't let her go, he might change his mind later."

"But it's so-!"

"There's nothing we can do about it! All we can do is wait."

Reiner visibly deflated and slumped over as Bertholdt sat down next to him. As usual, they didn't touch. Armin continued to stand in front of them, and they waited. They waited for what felt like forever in silence. People around them chattered, but they couldn't hear anything specific. In fact, the world around them didn't exist. The only things that did exist were the fountain and that damned courthouse.

Until Bertholdt spoke.

"Rei…Reiner…?"

"Hmm?"

"C-Can I…h-hold your hand?"

Reiner's eyes shot open.

"Please?"

Armin's eyes widened slightly, too, as he watched the couple. Bertholdt's cheeks were pink, and he looked quite uncomfortable, but he still held eye contact with Reiner. The blond stared at him for a few seconds, mouth agape, until his face softened into a sweet smile and understanding eyes. "Sure," he said, and he held his hand out for Bertholdt to take. After a moment of hesitation, the brunet gently took it in his own hand.

A second later, the courthouse doors opened, and Eren and Levi exited the building. The trio shot up, the hand holding instantly forgotten, and they watched with held breaths as the couple walked past them. Levi momentarily glanced back, his eyes locking Armin's, Reiner's and Bertholdt's individually before he turned back to his husband and allowed Eren to wrap an arm around him and hold him against his side.

Armin's voice was weak. "Ere-"

"ANNIE!"

At the sound of Bertholdt's shrill cry, Armin and Reiner turned, and the three ran to embrace their loved one.


	27. Levi Story

_As a kid, I always thought that Levi was very simple. He slew Titans and always came back from expeditions alive with relatively few injuries. I believed that this was all I needed to know about him._

_But that was because I never thought of him as a person. I never stopped to consider what the rest of his life was like when he wasn't out on expeditions. Did he have a family? Did he have friends? Or a girlfriend? What was his personality like? What did he like and dislike? I never asked myself these or any other questions, all because I was too busy worshipping him as a hero and nothing more._

_Of course, this was when I was a naive child who did know any better. In those days, I even glorified war and thought I would come back from the battlefield as a hero. I didn't know how much of a hell war in any respect was. Survey Corps soldiers were willing to sacrifice their lives for the sake of freeing humanity, but the reality of that fact crashed into me like a thousand bricks as I rode in the cart next to Mikasa on our way back from our first expedition. I never thought I'd return home and leave piles of bodies behind, tears streaming down my face as I suddenly questioned everything about what I had believed in as a child._

_Including Levi._

_Was he as simple as I had thought? Upon meeting him (I mean for real, not that whole courtroom scene business), his personality traits started to become clear, one by one. Often grumpy with a constant frown on his face and an unimpressed look in his eye. Down to earth and matter of fact. A blunt, crude way of speaking. Smart and quick thinking. Obsessive cleanliness. Enjoyed his personal space. Hid his emotions and had a hard time letting people in. Didn't really trust anyone except the few people he did let in. Only human._

_Even nowadays, I feel like he secretly hates that "Humanity's Strongest" nickname people have given him. The more I thought about all the soldiers who had died fighting Titans, the heavier I realized his burden was. Here he was, Humanity's Strongest, a man who watched countless comrades die right before his eyes, a man unable to save them. Every lost soldier was another weight dropped onto his shoulders that he was forced to carry with him, another reminder that he couldn't live up to his nickname._

_Every time I think about this, it breaks my heart, and it's not so difficult to see why Levi hates himself so much._

_The weight on my shoulders isn't the same. It's nothing compared to the one on his. I'm "Humanity's Hope." That means that humanity basically waits for me to do something and then reacts. Even if the Survey Corps has high expectations of me, average civilians don't. Hell, there are still a good number of civilians who don't trust me at all, so it's not like they're going to put their faith in me anyway._

_But Levi? Literally everyone in all of humanity has the highest expectations of him._

_And it kills him inside._

_As I got older and spent more time with Levi, even before we were romantically involved, I started realizing that he wasn't as simple as I had believed. In fact, I started thinking that he must have been the most complicated person I had ever met. I began questioning every little thing about him, wanting to know every little detail about him. I wanted to know everything about his life before the Survey Corps, about his innermost thoughts and feelings, and about the reasons behind all of his personality traits. And, secretly at least, I wanted to be the person he felt like he could tell all of this to, the person he told all the things he thought and never said. I wanted him to trust me so badly._

_Maybe this was the first sign that I was falling in love with him, not as a hero but as a person. If nothing else, it was definitely a sign that I was growing up. My childhood ended on that horrible day in Year 845, but my childhood innocence lingered on until this point. Perhaps it's when we start trying to understand another person and see the world through their eyes that we really start to grow up._

_At first we fell in love slowly. We would sit near each other in the mess hall. We would work together to clean a room. Our strategies for battle involved more teamwork directly between us. It was during these moments that I started noticing the little details that made up Levi, like how his brows would knit together when scrubbing a particularly tough stain or how his Adam's apple bobbed ever so slightly when he swallowed. They were such normal things, but the fact that they were a part of Levi was what made them so special._

_I don't know if he was slowly falling in love with me at the same time though. All I know is that his confession happened so suddenly on another horrible day, a day I was sure I wouldn't survive._

_A few days after I turned eighteen, we moved in together. I proposed to him. We were married a few months later. It all happened so fast. It would have been a whirlwind romance, but I like to think that it was several years in the making._

_But, even after we were married, Levi was still an enigma. I knew enough about him, I suppose, but I felt like that wasn't enough. He had opened up to me little by little over time, but I still didn't know exactly who he was. There had to be more to him than just being a soldier or even being my husband._

_Who the hell was Levi?_

_Our son told me the answer._

_Watching Levi be sick and in pain for those long months was so hard, but he was hurting worse. I hated knowing I couldn't do anything to make him better. All I could do was clean him up and hold him and tell him how much I loved him. He would desperately cling to me, bury his face into my chest, and sob. I had never seen him in so much distress, and he had never opened up to me so much._

_His sickness finally calmed down in the final month of his pregnancy, right before his birthday. For those last few weeks, life was good, great even. I bought a rocking chair to complete the nursery. I organized a birthday party for him, and we finally danced together for the first time since our wedding. I got to see him smile for the first time in months. About a week later I caught him singing a lullaby to our unborn child. Once when he was cooking soup, I heard him taste the broth, pause, and then say, "Yeah, I think it tastes good, too." I'd often see him writing, but I never knew that he was writing letters to our baby. It was incredible to see him like this, to see him so genuinely happy and excited for something, even if his way of showing it was subtle._

_He's often told me that the delivery was the most painful thing he's ever experienced, worse than any fight in the underground or bite from a Titan. He was strapped to our bed, a sheet hanging from the ceiling that blocked our view. I couldn't hear what the midwives and Hanji were saying, only focused on the look of sheer agony on my husband's face and the tears pouring from his eyes. Every so often he would make a strained noise that didn't even sound human. I snuck my hand past the sheet barrier to hold his, which was also strapped to the bed, and I kept my other hand on his forehead, pressing little kisses to his sweaty, feverish temple. I felt so useless, so stupid. Here was my husband in the worst pain of his life, and the only thing I could do was hold his hand and tell him how much I loved him._

_But I don't think he was crying out just because the delivery itself hurt. I felt like there was more to it. I felt like he was finally expressing all those miserable feelings of regret and loss that had been building up over the years. It was a brilliant move actually, using the pain of childbirth to cover the release of decades' worth of emotional burden._

_But when he finally got to hold our son in his arms, he wore the happiest expression I had ever seen on him. He was finally at peace. I can't say I was surprised when he told me that he would do it all over again in a heartbeat, because, in that moment, I knew who Levi was. The thing was that he hadn't even known who he was this whole time. He, just like any other human, had been growing and changing and discovering something about himself every day, and he, and we all, are still growing and changing every day._

_But sometimes there some are identities that never change._

"C'mere, baby, come sit in the rocking chair with Papa."

"Okay!"

The little boy ran to Levi and jumped up into his lap, Levi settling him in his arms as the boy pressed his cheek against his papa's chest. It was late, a little past the boy's bedtime, but Levi couldn't help wanting to spend some special time with him, especially after all the courtroom drama he had faced during the day.

After he and Eren left the courthouse, they rode back through the Walls with Connie to pick their son up. They never once spoke about the trial or Annie. The sun had gone down by the time they made it back to Wall Maria, so Sasha invited the Jaeger family to stay for dinner, insisting that she had made enough. Too tired to argue, Eren and Levi agreed, and the five of them enjoyed a meal together. Levi sat next to his son, keeping the boy close the whole time.

Immediately upon returning home, Eren gave the boy a bath, giving Levi a short break to collect his thoughts. Once the child was clean and clothed, Levi walked into his bedroom and invited him to sit, not wanting to waste another moment without his baby.

Slowly and gently, the chair rocked back and forth, and the child in Levi's arms began to yawn. He snuggled up against his papa, smiled, and said, "How was your meeting?"

Levi shrugged. "Long. Tiring. I don't really want to talk about it."

The boy nodded. "Okay."

"Did you have fun with Aunt Sasha?"

"Uh-huh. We played lots of games and went to the market and picked flowers. She let me feel her tummy, and the baby kicked!"

Levi squeezed his son a little tighter. "That's exciting. We'll play together tomorrow, okay?"

The boy nodded again, growing drowsier by the minute. "I know that your meeting was important, Papa, but I really missed you and Daddy. I miss you both every time you have to go somewhere."

Levi kissed the top of the boy's head. "We miss you, too. But at least I get to sit with you for a little while and then tuck you into bed, right?" He smiled when the boy nodded and yawned at the same time, resting his ear right next to Levi's heart.

"Good night, Papa,  _je t'aime_."

The boy was asleep moments later, but Levi still cradled him and kept the rocking chair moving. He brushed his thumb against the boy's cheek and kissed the top of his head again, his lips lingering there for a few seconds. "I love you, too," he whispered. "That's why I'll never let anybody hurt you. I won't let those religious conservatives have you, and I'll make sure you don't live your entire life inside these damn walls." He gently made a fist and pressed it against his heart, next to his son's face. "I promise."

_Levi was always meant to be a parent. Of this I'm sure._

_But I also noticed that the list of things he liked never changed, regardless of how many new things he was introduced to. Specifically, there were five things Levi considered to be his favorite things._

_Comfortable, luxurious furniture._

_Books._

_Hearty stews._

_Strong tea._

_Cleanliness._

_At first, I didn't think there were any special reasons behind what he liked. After all, who didn't like nice furniture and filling food? Plenty of people read for fun. And, hey, it's Levi we're talking about, so I didn't think anything about the tea or cleanliness either._

_But now I know better. Now I don't even have to ask. I don't have to wonder._

_Comfortable, luxurious furniture: Because he hadn't always had a bed to sleep in or even a roof over his head._

_Books: Because he had never been to school._

_Hearty stews: Because he hadn't always had enough to eat._

_Strong tea: Because he wanted to wash the taste of sewer water from his mouth._

_Cleanliness: Because the underground had been a world of disease, garbage, and blood-splattered fights, and yet the cities above ground were no better with their walls that suffocated him with the odor of corruption and captivity._

After a few more minutes of rocking the child, more out of his own desire to do so than the need for the child to sleep, Levi stood, carried his son to the little bed, and tucked him in. The boy didn't stir, even when Levi settled the Titan plush toy next to him. "Good night, baby, sweet dreams," he said, and he kissed the child's forehead.

When Eren finished his own bath and walked into the master bedroom, he was surprised to find Levi curled up underneath the blankets of their bed. He quickly towel dried his hair and then slipped a lightweight pair of pajamas on, thankful that the nights weren't freezing cold anymore. Once he was set, he slipped into bed next to his husband and gently placed a kiss on the back of Levi's neck. "Hey," he said, "what's wrong?"

Levi was quiet.

Eren scooted closer to the shorter man and pressed his palms against Levi's back, leaning in to place more little kisses on the nape of his neck. It wasn't Levi's most sensitive spot, but Eren thought that neck kisses were romantic.

"You did the right thing," the brunet murmured. "I'm so pr-"

"I'm not thinking about Annie."

Eren's eyes widened slightly, as the response was unexpected. "Then what's up?"

Levi took a few seconds to answer, and, when he did, he hated how uncharacteristically pathetic his voice sounded. "Do we even want to bring another child into this world?"

"Levi…"

"Do we want to risk another innocent life out there with those religious conservatives? With these damn walls forcing us to breathe this toxic air? With-!"

Eren grabbed Levi's shoulder and forced the man to roll on his back. Levi looked up at his husband towering over him, and his face softened at the offended look on Eren's face.

"We can't let them dictate our lives," Eren said firmly. "If we want another baby, we should have another baby, end of story."

"But…!" Levi's bottom lip trembled slightly as the words started to slip out. "But what if we can't?"

"…What?"

The raven's breathing was a little ragged as he spoke. "I'm serious, Eren, what if we can't have another baby? How long have we been trying for? How many other times have we done it even when we weren't trying? We don't even know how it happened the first time. Your Titan powers must have had something to do with it, right? What if they did something else, too? What if that was a one time deal? What if-?"

Eren leaned down and kissed his husband.

When he pulled away, Levi's eyes were shining with the beginnings of tears. Eren pretended not to notice and said, "We'll go ask the midwives tomorrow. We'll set up a time to meet with Hanji, too." He kissed Levi again and continued, "And, no matter what happens, we still have all the happiness we could ever want. I love you and our son, Levi, and nothing can change that."

Levi tugged Eren down on top of him, loving the feel of the man's warm, bronze skin and toned body so close to him. At times like these, he was thankful for their dramatic differences in size. Although he would never say it, he loved how protected and safe he felt whenever Eren held him. Maybe he was more like their son than he thought, as they both believed that Eren gave the best hugs ever. Eren never disputed this whenever their son said so, as he was proud of the comfort he could bring his family.

"Levi."

He kissed the raven again.

"We can still have fun trying."

Levi couldn't argue that.

_Levi is not simple._

_Levi is not complicated._

_Levi is somewhere in between. He's simple in a complicated way and complicated in a simple way. He's so much more than that soldier I saw as a child._

_Soldier. Thug. Thief. Killer. Hero. Humanity's Strongest. Domestic God. Friend. Lover. Husband. Papa._

_He's all of these, and yet he's just Levi._

_And I wouldn't have him any other way._


	28. Hope Story

_"There isn't anything you can suggest?"_

_Eren and Levi sat in an examination room with one of the midwives, a plump, elderly woman with a kind face and a gentle demeanor. "I'm sorry, it's just, this is the first time anyone with biologically male anatomy has ever been impregnated, so nobody is quite sure of how it happened in the first place. Therefore, I don't know how to make it happen a second time." She looked at the two men with sympathy, genuinely upset that she could not help them._

_Levi sighed heavily and tilted his head down. He had been afraid of that response. "Well, thank you for your time."_

_"Mr. Jaeger, I really want to help you-"_

_"I know, and thank you for that."_

_Eren cleared his throat and said, "Um, if there was a person with female anatomy having a hard time getting pregnant, what would you suggest doing?"_

_The midwife shifted her gaze towards him. "Fertility is not a constant, uniform thing. It shifts during the monthly cycle, and some months are better than others. It's a tricky thing, something that needs to be timed just right."_

_"Oh," Eren replied, sounding somewhat defeated, "so I guess that's what makes it a miracle, huh"_

_The woman nodded, her smile returning. "Exactly."_

_Levi sighed again._

_"Again, I'm so sorry," the midwife said sincerely as she stood and headed towards the door. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to visit a patient."_

_Eren and Levi stood as well and joined her at the door. "Thank you again," the younger said._

_The midwife's smile widened. "Good luck." She opened the door, and the trio was about to leave when another woman, this one much younger, appeared._

_"Excuse me," she said timidly, "may I have a word with the Jaegers?"_

_Levi shrugged. "We have time. How is…?"_

_"Oh, your son is still sitting in the waiting room," she said. "He was getting a little bored, so we gave him some paper and a pen so he could draw. I hope that's okay."_

_"Yeah, that's fine, he likes to draw."_

_The young woman smiled as if she had just been praised and entered the room with the couple. The old woman waved to them and closed the door._

_"I'm so sorry to bother you with my silly ramblings," the young woman said as she twiddled her fingers. "It's just, I had an idea. I'm not sure if this will help you at all, but…um, Mr. Eren Jaeger, when you transform into a Titan, you need to inflict self-harm with a set goal in mind, right?"_

_Both Eren's and Levi's eyes widened at her question. "How do you know that?" the younger asked back._

_"Oh! Um, my father was a member of the Survey Corps. Was…um, he died during an expedition."_

_The couple's faces immediately fell. "Oh," Eren whispered, "we're so sorry."_

_"Oh no, it's fine," the woman replied, though her face was obviously sad. "He was one of the soldiers who helped clean up after the Battle for Trost, and he even survived the battle with the Female Titan! He died on another expedition, but he was alive for many of the studies concerning you. He was so enthusiastic, and he would sometimes tell me about you, so that's how I know. I don't want to come off as a creepy stalker or anything!"_

_"Hn, who doesn't know something about this brat these days?" Levi snorted, smirking lightly._

_The woman shyly smiled back. "Um, yes, so…I just thought that maybe what you have to do to transform may have something to do with when you had your first child? After all, since you need a goal in mind to transform, maybe you need a goal in mind while…doing…" She blushed bright red and pressed her palms against her cheeks. "Sorry…"_

_Eren almost laughed at her timid nature. "No, that's a good idea. We'll try that."_

_The woman's face brightened. "I'm so glad I can help! Um, my name is Zita. If you need anything, let me know. Erm, if you want, I can give you a list of herbs that help increase fertility in women. I don't know if they'll do anything for you, Mr. Jaeger, but they can't hurt. You can pick them up at the market now that spring is here."_

_"Oh, thank you," Levi replied, face softening into gratitude, "you're so helpful."_

_Zita's shy smile returned. "That's my job. After my father died, I was depressed for a long time, and I didn't know what to do with myself. But then I realized that the world was still going on without my father, so I decided to become a midwife's apprentice. I wanted to help bring new lives into the world…Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry for talking so much! And I'm sorry for keeping you! Please, I'm sure your son is bored and wants to go home!"_

Levi gripped his son's little hand as they walked through the marketplace. While the visit to the midwives' office a few days prior hadn't been especially fruitful, he was thankful for Zita's time and advice. She seemed as though she really wanted to help him and Eren, but her story left a bad taste in his mouth. He suddenly felt horribly selfish for asking someone who had lost a loved one from the Survey Corps for help. He was yet another man Levi had been unable to save, and here was his daughter helping Levi have a baby.

What a messed up world they lived in.

"Papa?"

Levi looked down at the little boy's concerned face and put on a small, fake smile. "I'm fine, I've just been thinking a lot lately."

"Hmm, about your doctor's appointment?"

"Sort of, it's a long story. What do you want for dinner tonight?"

The boy looked down at the light bag of herbs in his free hand and shrugged. "I don't know, something that tastes good with these?"

"Well, let's take a look at what's for sale today," Levi said as they stopped at a stand.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Jaeger!" the stand owner, a cheery, middle aged woman greeted.

"Hello," Levi replied, gently squeezing his son's hand. "Say hello, baby."

The boy was hesitant for a moment and backed up slightly so he was standing close to his papa's leg, almost behind it. "…Hello," he said quietly, shyly looking up at the woman and managing a small smile.

"Oh, aren't you just the cutest little thing!" the woman nearly squealed, her cheeks lighting up pink as a giddy smile stretched across her face. "Are you Papa's little helper today?"

The boy nodded. "I'm carrying the herbs for dinner."

"What a big help that is!"

Levi's smile widened slightly. "Yes, he's a very good helper. So what's fresh today?"

"Ah, just got these beans," the woman explained, pointing towards a large basket filled to the brim with the product. "Actually, we got two different kinds, black and white. They go well together."

Levi took a few of the beans in his hand and nodded as he set them back in the pile. "Alright, I'll take a mixed bag of black and white beans. We'll make bean salad and steamed potatoes for dinner. How does that sound, baby?"

His son looked up at him curiously. "Bean salad?"

Levi nodded. "It's good, and if you don't like it, you can have an extra potato."

"Okay!"

The shopkeeper immediately went to work, scooping the beans into a medium sized bag. Levi stood very still, keeping his eyes on the produce in front of him. His son kept holding his hand, looking around aimlessly until he spotted something, or rather someone.

"Papa," he whispered, clutching Levi's hand and moving as close to him as possible, "there's a man behind us."

Levi nodded. "I know, baby."

The man was not alone though. One by one, other strange men gathered around. The shopkeeper looked up and dropped the nearly full bag back into the display bag, gasping. She started to tremble, and she took a few steps back, motioning for the little boy to join her behind the stand.

"Eh, Levi, been a while," the first man said, hands in his pockets and leisurely strolling up behind the short man. "How ya been? Havin' a nice life above ground?"

Levi remained silent.

"Aw, he thinks he's too good for us," one of the other men said mockingly.

"C'mon, Levi, you ain't happy to see your old friends?" the first man continued. "What do you say? Wanna go flying through the town? Wanna beat the crap outta some soldiers? Hell, we could just steal all the produce here and eat like the king. Wouldn't that be fun? You could even bring the little brat along, start raisin' him right, ya know?"

Levi tensed and squeezed his son's hand. "Baby, go stand behind the counter with the nice woman."

"Oh, come on," the man continued, leaning over until his lips were dangerously close to Levi's ear, "you're no fun anymore, Levi. Where's Humanity's Strongest, hmm? I was hoping I'd get to see you in action." The volume of the man's voice then dropped, and he continued, "Humanity's Strongest has gone soft? Is he even Humanity's Strongest anymore? Are you just Humanity's Housewife now? Sittin' at home with that freak, cookin' its meals…does it only eat humans? Spreadin' your legs for it, havin' its stupid brat? Hmm? You Humanity's Whore now?"

The little boy caught in the middle of all this started to back away towards the stand. His voice trembled when he spoke. "I don't like him, Papa…"

"What's the matter, little guy? Don't you wanna play with me and my friends?" He reached out to take the child's hand.

And Levi turned and punched him straight in the face. A few of the man's teeth went flying.

Levi didn't stop there. He grabbed the man by his shirt collar and punched him again, multiple times. He then hooked his arms around the man's chest and slammed him backwards into the hard stone street, his head making a disgusting squelching noise on impact. Without missing a beat, Levi jumped onto the man's chest and casually stood there, all 65 kilograms of him. The man cried out as Levi stepped forward until one of his feet was pressing against his neck. The man choked just enough that he couldn't speak but not enough that he lost consciousness. His arms were attempting to reach up and grab at Levi's legs, but the raven's attack on him had left his movements sloppy and frantic.

With his usual uninterested face and bored voice, Levi said, "Let me tell you something. You can mock me all you want. You can say anything you want about me. Honestly, I don't care. You can even mock Eren if you want. If you're stupid enough to start a fight with us, fine. We're both grown-ass adults, so we can handle it. But…" He pressed harder against the man's neck, his eyes darkened, and his voice became terrifyingly threatening. "if you EVER mock our son, if you EVER even so much as THINK about laying even one of your filthy fingers on him, WE WON'T HESITATE TO KILL YOU ON THE SPOT. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?"

The man beneath him let out a strangled cry before falling quiet.

Levi looked up at the rest of the men who looked like they were about to wet their pants and repeated in his normal voice, "Do I make myself clear?"

The men all nodded simultaneously, and one of them shouted, "Crystal!"

"Good," Levi replied, stepping off the man like he was walking down a set of stairs, only to turn around and give him one last swift kick to the ribs. He then turned back to the shopkeeper, picked up the spilled bag, refilled it with beans, set some money on the counter, and said, "Sorry for the trouble. Thank you for the beans." When he turned to leave, he saw the thugs dragging their fallen leader through the busy streets. Shrugging, he took his son's hand and said, "Let's go home and make some bean salad."

* * *

Eren stared at his husband, eyes wide and mouth agape as he listened to Levi's story. "What the hell…?" he gasped. "Are you serious? They attacked you in broad daylight?"

"They didn't attack," Levi replied as he rinsed the rehydrated beans. "They were talking crap about us, which I didn't mind because they were only showing me what idiots they were. If there are going to be morons in this world, we might as well know who they are. But then one tried to touch our son's hand, so I punched his teeth out, choked him, and broke his ribs. Can you get the olive oil down from that shelf?"

"B-But, Levi!"

"The olive oil."

Eren suddenly stopped and his voice became quiet. "You knew them, didn't you?"

Levi visibly flinched and narrowed his eyes. After a short pause, he sighed heavily and said, "Yes, they were part of a gang I knew when I lived in the underground. They thought we were rivals. I thought they weren't worth my time, and they still aren't." He glanced upwards and sighed again. "Eren, don't give me that look."

"I can't help it!" the younger whimpered.

"Eren—"

"I'm sorry, I hate knowing that you once lived there. I hate knowing that you weren't always taken care of!"

Levi knew how much his husband hated hearing about his past. Truth be told, Levi hated talking about it. He wasn't exactly ashamed of the person he had been, mostly because he had had no choice, but he preferred to think about his present self. He didn't like his present self any more than his past self, but at least his present self tried to do good. At least his present self had a sense of real happiness.

And he found Eren's statement touching. With an understanding sigh, he leaned up and gently pulled Eren down by his shirt collar for a kiss. It was sweet and lasted for a few long seconds, and, when Levi pulled away, he gave his husband a tiny smile. "Thank you."

"Levi…"

"Now get me the damn olive oil."

Eren laughed and the mood immediately lightened. He did as Levi instructed and then leaned back against the counter, watching his husband work. It was incredible to him how those same hands that killed Titans and beat up thugs could lovingly hold their son and make a delicious, nourishing dinner. Every time Eren thought about it, he fell in love all over again.

Levi's hushed voice snapped him out of his daydreams. "I think the religious conservatives hired them to attack us."

Eren's eyes widened. "What?"

"Why else would they be above ground? The religious conservatives probably promised them a better life if they confronted us, thinking I wouldn't be able to take them all on during the day. They obviously don't know me that well."

"Lev-!"

"Shh!" Levi pressed a finger to his lips as he heard little footsteps come down the stairs. Their son soon appeared in this kitchen, rubbing his eyes and yawning.

"Hi, Daddy. Hi, Papa."

"Hi, baby," Eren replied, smiling gently, "did you have a nice nap?"

The boy nodded, walked to Levi, and wrapped his arms around one of the man's legs. "Papa, those guys at the market scared me. Why did they say those mean things to us?"

"There are mean people in the world, sadly. But you don't need to worry about them. They won't bother us again."

"Really?"

"Really. Now come help me make bean salad."

* * *

That night, when Levi snuggled into bed next to his husband, he felt lips on the back of his neck. He squirmed slightly and leaned back into the touch. "Mmm, you're making a habit of this."

"Can't help it," Eren replied, "not when you're so incredibly amazing."

Levi rolled his eyes and turned over so he could face the brunet, an amused smile on his face. "You sap."

"I'm your sap." Eren smiled wide and wrapped his arms around his husband, who welcomed the touch. After the incident in the market, Levi was actually feeling somewhat cuddly. Feeling the comfort of Eren's warm skin and strong muscles made him feel safe and relaxed. No, no idiotic thugs could tear them apart or take their son away. And Levi decided in that moment that the associates within the Military Police couldn't even so much as make a dent in them either.

After all, nothing could stop the combination of strength and hope.

"You eat some of those herbs Zita told us about?" Eren murmured, pressing his lips against Levi's forehead.

"Yeah," the shorter replied, "sprinkled some on my potatoes at dinner."

Eren grinned. "Then what are we waiting for?" He moved down to kiss at Levi's collarbone, making the raven groan softly. Eren's fingers gently travelled upwards over his chest and shoulders, and Levi began to pant quietly. Eren's grin widened at the sound, and he continued, "I love you. I love you so much." He then paused and said, " _Ich liebe dich, mein Liebling._ "

Levi gasped loudly. "Wha…What?"

"Hmm?  _Was, mein Engel?_ "

"Eren, what…?"

"Or maybe you'd like it better if I spoke like this,  _balım? Seni seviyorum, bi tanem._ "

" _Oh mon dieu…_ "

* * *

"Papa, Daddy, I heard weird noises coming from your room last night."

Eren spat his tea right across the breakfast table the next morning. Levi's face mirrored the one he wore during Eren's spoon incident.

The two of them stared at their son for several (very long) seconds, their brains having come to a screeching halt at his innocent words. The boy just stared back at them, patiently waiting for an explanation.

Finally, Levi sighed and stood. "Well, knew this day was coming. Go get the picture book, Eren, I'll go get a cucumber."

"WHAT!"

"Cucumber? What were you guys making?"

_Your sibling._

"I thought we agreed, not until he's a teenager!"

"Wait, what?"

"Oh, then I'll have Zita come over and explain it. She did say she'd help us out with anything."

"THAT WASN'T WHAT I MEANT."

"You guys sound like you were playing a really weird game…"

Eren laughed nervously. "Ha ha! Yeah! A weird game! That's it!"

The boy eyed his daddy skeptically. "Then…what about the cucumber?"

Eren paled.

Levi coughed awkwardly and speed walked into the kitchen. "Okay, time to get started on cleaning up."

"GET BACK HERE."

Forget underground thugs, religious conservatives, or Titans, this was Eren's and Levi's toughest and scariest battle yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Zita (Greek or Spanish origin): "little hope"
> 
> Ich liebe dich, mein Liebling. (German) = I love you, my darling.
> 
> Was, mein Engel? (German) = What, my angel?
> 
> balım (Turkish) = my honey
> 
> Seni seviyorum, bi tanem. (Turkish) = I love you, my only one.
> 
> Oh mon dieu… (French) = Oh my god…


	29. Reason Story

Sunday afternoons in the Arlert household were notoriously lazy. Since Armin spent most of his time discussing strategies with high-ranking Survey Corps officials or working with Hanji in the lab, he rarely had time to enjoy the simple things in life, so he made a point to set aside some time to do so every Sunday. This included but was not limited to window shopping in the market, taking a leisurely stroll outside on nice days, or reading one of the many books on his shelves. He often looked forward to those quiet moments all week.

So when he woke up one Sunday morning in late April with Annie next to him, he decided that the whole day would consist of nothing but quiet, lazy moments.

As soon as the woman had been freed from prison, she had thrown her arms around him and refused to let him go. She hadn't exactly cried, but Armin could swear that he had heard some soft whimpers. Reiner had then wrapped his large arms around both of them, and Bertholdt, his anxiety forgotten, had gently massaged Annie's shoulder to reassure her that everything was okay. They had stood there until a Military Police guard told them to leave, and, even after they had loaded into the carriage, Annie still desperately clung to Armin but refused to meet any of the men's eyes.

The weeks since then had been long. Annie had been living with Armin, not wanting to be by herself even in her own home. Armin didn't have a problem with that and had welcomed her, but he worried for her mental health. She barely left the house, spending most of her time in bed. For the first few days, Armin didn't question her, but he was starting to want to push her back into the world. While he certainly didn't mind the idea of permanently living with her, he did not like the idea of her wasting the rest of her life in his home.

On that lazy Sunday morning, he gently nudged her shoulder and kissed her forehead until her eyes fluttered open. He smiled at her and said, "Good morning," to which she muttered a reply.

"C'mon, out of bed," he continued, pushing the covers off. "It's a beautiful day; we should go out."

Annie squirmed uncomfortably. "Don't wanna."

"Annie," Armin sighed, slumping over, "come on…"

She huffed at him and rolled over so her back was facing him. "No."

Now the blond was starting to get exasperated. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood, stretching his arms out. "At least come have breakfast with me at the table?" he asked as he headed towards the bathroom. He heard an agreeing grunt and smiled. Baby steps were still steps.

Breakfast was quiet. Armin normally wouldn't have minded except that Annie wasn't eating nearly as much as she should have been. In fact, she hadn't eaten that much since being released from prison. She was already small, so the change in her body wasn't obvious, but Armin had a feeling that her hand-to-hand combat moves had weakened somewhat. He feared that she wouldn't be able to defend herself if need be and vaguely wondered if that was part of the reason why she wouldn't leave the house. After all, there were a good number of people, both among civilians and the military, who didn't approve of her (or Reiner and Bertholdt) being out of prison at all. Further, there was still a population that wanted all three of them dead. Armin had gained some muscle over the years, but he still feared that he wouldn't be able to protect Annie should the need arise.

But what Armin could do was understand and work with people's minds. He knew how people, especially people close to him, thought, and, while he didn't like thinking of himself as a manipulator, he did know how to get what he wanted out of people. Thank goodness he was a pure-hearted soul.

"Come to the market with me?" he asked, ripping a small loaf of bread in half and placing one piece on Annie's plate. When there was no response, he continued, "Okay, then at least eat everything I put in front of you."

Annie's eyes widened. "Huh?"

"If you're not gonna come, then you surrender full authority to me to decide what's for dinner, and you have to eat whatever I serve."

"Since when?"

"Since now."

Annie narrowed her eyes at Armin's waiting smile. He was enjoying this way too much. She rolled her eyes and said, "Fine, get whatever you want."

Well, that backfired.

* * *

Good thing Armin always had a trick up his sleeve.

That afternoon, he came home with a large basket full of ingredients. Among them was a large chicken, which made Annie do a double take. He just smiled at her and went to work in the kitchen, plucking and cleaning the poultry while humming a sweet, little tune. Annie watched him from the connecting living room while pretending to read one of his books, and the looks didn't go unnoticed. Armin didn't mind though, since his plan was already set in motion.

The knock on the door came about ten minutes before dinner was ready. Armin wiped his hands and answered it, since Annie refused. She hadn't answered the door since being freed from prison, fearing that the Military Police or angry civilians would be coming after her. As with everything else that had come with Annie moving in, Armin didn't mind, especially on this night.

Annie froze when she saw Reiner and Bertholdt standing in the doorway. Reiner waved at her as they stepped inside and Armin took their jackets. "Haven't seen you in a while," he said with a cheery smile. "How ya been?"

Annie hesitated in her response. "Fine."

"I hope you don't mind," Armin said as he walked back into the kitchen and started cutting the chicken. "I ran into them at the market and invited them over for dinner. It's been forever since we've hung out together and work wasn't involved."

Annie shrugged. "Yeah, I guess so."

When the four of them sat down to dinner, Armin and Reiner did most of the talking. Bertholdt smiled and laughed along politely, feeling comfortable among his friends and lover. Annie sat silently, alternating between staring down at her food and looking up to watch the men chat. True to her deal with Armin, she ate everything on her plate. Despite how delicious everything was, she felt like a brick was sitting in the bottom of her stomach, and that wasn't because she hadn't eaten meat in a long time.

"What do you think, Annie?"

The blonde had been staring at her plate and suddenly looked up, startled slightly. "Huh?"

"We were talking about how Connie's gonna be as a dad," Reiner explained, trying to hold back a laugh. "I swear, I never thought he'd have kids so soon after getting hitched. Hell, I never thought he'd get hitched at all! I'm imagining him trying to change diapers in the middle of the night, and it's the funniest thing ever." He barely got his last line out before laughing loudly.

Armin forced himself to swallow a mouthful of chicken and then laughed with him. "What about Sasha? The poor kid is barely gonna be a few minutes old, and it'll be strapped to her back while she goes hunting."

"Kid's probably gonna know what wild game tastes like before getting a drop of milk!"

Even Bertholdt couldn't hold back his laughs at that one, knowing their jest was good natured. That sure did sound like something Sasha would do, and he had to admit that the thought of Connie trying to calm a fussy baby was highly amusing.

Annie just shrugged. "I dunno, they'll make it work somehow."

"Aw, we're just joking," Reiner sighed, coming down from the high of laughter. "Of course they'll be great parents. If Eren and Levi can raise a good kid, Connie and Sasha should have no problems."

Annie snorted. "I think that kid is a little more than good."

Armin smirked. Now they were getting somewhere.

Reiner grinned. "Yeah, you're right. I dunno how Eren and Levi won the kid lottery, but I'm glad they did. That kid is so damn cute."

"Annie and I babysat him together once," Armin added. "Well, not entirely by choice. Eren barged in on date night and left him here but whatever." He paused to giggle. "Anyway, he has an incredible imagination. You should have seen the pictures he was drawing. We only talked about what the outside world could be like for a few minutes, and he started thinking up all sorts of things to see! Annie and I got to go to, where was it, the multicolored rock walls? And they weren't like the Walls here either. They had a bunch of different rocks in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and colors. Heh, I don't know how he thought that up, but, if a place like that does exist, I'd like to see it."

Reiner's eyes widened slightly. "He thought of all that?"

"Yeah, and he even thought up a place for you and Bertholdt to visit: the tall mountains that shoot fire water! And what else was there…? A forest where it rains all the time, land made of ice, fields of sand, and, of course, the ocean." The smaller blond paused to take in Reiner's unreadable expression and then said, "Something wrong?"

"The kid's awfully…smart."

The whole house was quiet for a few seconds.

"Ah, sorry," Reiner sighed, "I ruined the mood."

"No, you wouldn't mention it unless you thought it was important."

"I just wonder…he seems a little too smart for his age."

Bertholdt bit his lip. "You think…?"

Armin's eyes widened. "What?"

Before Reiner could reply, Annie slammed her hands down on the table, silencing the house again. The men stared at her, startled by her actions, and waited for an explanation. Annie's shoulder trembled slightly as her resolve crumbled, and she lowered her head out of shame. "I don't want to hear about it," she said, her voice muffled and low. "I don't care how deep in denial I am. If anything is wrong with that boy, I don't want to know about it."

"To be fair," Reiner said after a moment's pause, "I don't think anything's wrong with him."

"I still don't want to hear about it!"

Another pause.

"It's selfish but…that boy means so much to me."

_Annie heard the main prison door open and close and looked up as she heard footsteps come towards her. They were even and calm as they approached, and they stopped in front of her cell. Sitting in the corner with her knees to her chest, she looked up just enough so that she could meet her visitor's stare._

_"I'm surprised," she said coolly. "I was sure you'd leave me here to rot."_

_Levi frowned. "Trust me, I considered it."_

_They were silent for a few long moments._

_"So to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" Annie asked, hugging her knees tighter. "Are you here to mock me? To watch me suffer? To know that I'm stuck here in the dark unless you say otherwise?"_

_"I want to know why you helped us."_

_Silence._

_An angry frown formed on Annie's face. "Don't flatter yourself," she shot back. "It's not like I wanted to atone for my sins or whatever, and I certainly don't see you as a friend. I helped you but it wasn't for you. It wasn't for anyone else in the Survey Corps either. I wasn't thinking of you or Eren or Reiner or Bertholdt or even Armin or anyone else."_

_Levi's eyes narrowed. "Then why did you help us?"_

_Annie took her time answering the question, still wrapped up in ball in the cell's back corner. Eventually, she glared at Levi and, in a strained voice, said, "I did it for your son."_

_Levi's eyes shot open._

_"I know that there are groups out there that want your family dead," Annie continued, desperately trying to keep her voice steady. "I know that there's a small faction within the Military Police associated with those groups. I couldn't find information on all of them, but at least you now know who to watch out for within the Military Police. Who knows, maybe you'll be able to trace those losers back to the religious conservatives at the heart of those groups. But, no matter what it cost, I wanted to protect that boy, and the only way I could protect him was to help you." She then turned away from Levi so she was leaning against the cold cell wall. "There, now you know."_

_Levi's entire body shook, but he kept his composure. His eyes narrowed again, and he held onto a cell bar with one hand, the other resting at his side. He stared Annie dead in the eye, not allowing her any choice but to look back at him, and said, "I will never forgive you for what you did."_

_"I don't expect you to."_

_With that, Levi turned and headed for the door. When it opened and closed again, he immediately took Eren's hand, started walking away from the guard standing by the door, and said, "Let her go."_

"You don't understand, okay? Whenever I go out, the world only sees the Female Titan. No one sees Annie Leonhart. Kids who weren't even alive all those years ago look at me like I don't belong, no doubt because their parents taught them to hate me. But what can I say? It's not like I can blame them, not when I killed so many people and nearly destroyed Stohesse. And plenty of people within all three branches of the military hate me, too. Plenty of them think that I shouldn't have been allowed back in. Plenty of people think I should be dead! But…but that boy ran up to me without fear. He smiled at me and put a flower in my hair and told me that I was pretty. He didn't see a murderer or a monster or the Female Titan. He only saw me."

Silence.

"…Dammit," Annie huffed out, getting up from her seat and heading back towards the bedroom.

"Annie!" Bertholdt cried before either of the blonds could speak. He ran after her and grabbed her arm just as she turned a corner. She yanked it back and glared up at him.

"Move, Bertholdt," she ordered, eyes beginning to water.

The tall man was starting to sweat, but he kept his firm gaze on her, refusing to back down. "No, I won't. I won't, Annie. I refuse! You think you're all alone in the world. You think that you have nobody and that everyone is your enemy. Forget what your dad said all those years ago. You live in a better world now!"

"Bertholdt—!"

"It's still not a perfect world, but I think it's a better one anyway! You're not alone anymore, Annie. You're allowed to be with us. You're allowed to rely on us!"

"Bertholdt, move!"

"I won't let you turn into me! I won't let you become some hermit who can't bear to show her face to the world!"

Annie's eyes widened and she looked at the man as if he had just grown a second head. "What?"

"Do you seriously think that you're the only one suffering?" Bertholdt asked, his voice starting to shake. "Lots of people want Reiner and me dead, too. I think the only reason I haven't completely given up is because Reiner won't let me. It's only because of him that I have any strength left at all, and he's my sole reason for continuing to live in this world. And yet…" He was sweating profusely now, feeling his anxiety build up within him. It was sickening. "…and yet I hate myself so much that I can barely stand next to him in public without wanting to cry. I hate that, too, which makes me hate myself even more. I can't escape from this cycle, but I refuse to let you fall into it!"

Annie stared at the tall man, unsure of what to say and starting to feel rather emotional herself. The room suddenly felt hot, and the hallway walls seemed to close in on her. When she gasped for breath, the trance broke, and she ran opposite Bertholdt, out the front door and into the night. She vaguely heard Armin call after her, but his voice disappeared from her hearing when she heard familiar giggling nearby.

"That was a good restaurant, Daddy!"

"Hmm, you liked the tomato salad, huh?"

"Yeah! Can you make that at home, Papa?"

"I can try."

Annie watched with teary eyes as the Jaeger family came walking down the street, no doubt on their way home from dinner. When the little boy's eyes met hers, the child squealed and waved at her. "Hi, Aunt Annie!"

Levi glanced up at the woman, face neutral. Annie didn't dare to reply to the boy for fear of what his papa would say. But Levi just gave the child a small smile and said, "Go on, go give Aunt Annie a hug."

He did just that, and Annie felt more alive in that moment than she had in years.

* * *

"Armin…"

The little blond just smiled. "Hmm?"

Reiner narrowed his eyes as Bertholdt made his way back to the kitchen table. "You didn't meet up with us in the market. You came specifically to our house and invited us over for dinner."

Armin just shrugged, still smiling. "Oh yeah, I met up with Eren and Levi in the marketplace and told them about a great restaurant nearby. THAT'S what happened, my mistake."

This particular Sunday may not have been as lazy as Armin liked his Sundays to be, but he could wait another week for the next one.


	30. Relationship Story

After a moment of hesitation, Mikasa knocked on the door in front of her and then waited. The house was small, just enough for one person, but it didn't seem like its owner was home. She knocked again, this time more confidently, but, when she still received no answer, she sighed and turned away.

She hadn't seen Jean outside of work in a month. She tried to reason with herself that she hadn't been avoiding him on purpose, but she knew it was a lie. She didn't even know what she was feeling anymore, not that she ever knew what she had been feeling that day when she had first appeared on Jean's doorstep after the failed expedition. Loneliness? Sadness? Desire? Whatever it was, it had only intensified since then, and she didn't like it.

Her lunch date with her brother stuck out in her mind as she walked away from the residential part of town.

_"Hmm, I've never been to this place before," Eren commented as he sat down at an outdoor table across from his sister._

_Mikasa shrugged. "I've actually never been here either. I just overheard someone at headquarters talk about it."_

_"Ah well, that's okay, I'm sure it's fine."_

_The two only had to wait a few seconds before a waiter came to them and offered drinks. When Mikasa mentioned that it was Eren's birthday, the waiter grinned and said that his beer was on the house then. Eren's cheeks flushed an embarrassed pink, and he laughed as the three guys at the table next to them cheered. Mikasa smiled and then put in their orders for lunch, thanking the waiter as he left._

_"So how has life at HQ been lately?" Eren asked, taking a sip of his beer. "It feels so long since I lived there."_

_Mikasa shrugged again. "The usual, I guess. I don't live there, but I sure feel like I do sometimes. It's weird not having the rest of the gang around all the time. I mean, yeah, you all still have to come a few times a week, but life within the Walls has been pretty quiet lately. We haven't even been on that many expeditions in recent years."_

_Eren's face hardened and his grip on his beer mug tightened. "Yeah, I don't like that. It's not that I want to be away from my family, and it's not like I want to put everyone in danger, but I feel like we haven't done as much as we used to. I guess I understand, like what Hannes said that one time when we were little."_

_"That, if we're not fighting, it means we're at peace."_

_Eren nodded. "I still don't like what he said, and I still don't believe it, but I can understand why he said it and why so many people think that way. After all, some would say that we've overcome some of our biggest obstacles now that Annie, Reiner, and Bertholdt are on our side, but, I don't know, I still don't like this. It still feels like false peace to me."_

_Mikasa smiled slightly. "You've grown up. You're still the same, but you've grown up."_

_The pink color returned to Eren's cheeks. "Hey, stop that, why are you embarrassing me so much today?"_

_"Technically you're the younger sibling."_

_"Oh shut up." But he still grinned playfully._

_Mikasa grinned back momentarily, her face softening into concern. "I don't like this commander," she murmured. "Since Erwin retired and this new guy came in, we've gone on fewer expeditions. I can't tell if he's scared of going outside or if he's plotting something else."_

_Eren frowned. "Yeah, I know what you mean. Erwin didn't tell us a lot, but he at least wasn't afraid of going outside. He was ready to go at a moment's notice, and he always did what he thought was best for humanity. Plenty of people disagreed with him, but he wasn't wishy-washy and still isn't. I like that about him. But at least he's just retired from being the commander, right? He's still working behind the scenes."_

_"Trust me, his entire being is devoted to working behind the scenes. He's the one who really lives at HQ."_

_"When Zackley croaks, he'll be Supreme Commander, right?"_

_"He should be."_

_Eren took a long swig of his beer and sighed. "Sometimes I wonder why Levi didn't become the commander, but I'm torn on the issue. On one hand, the entire Survey Corps trusts him, and I do feel like he could lead all of us, but…oh god, I'm terrible. I never want to see him hurt again. I wish I could keep him at home." He gave his sister a pathetic look. "That doesn't sound like me, right?"_

_Mikasa shook her head. "No, it doesn't but I know why you're thinking that way. Loving someone changes everything."_

_Eren looked touched at first but then let out a small laugh. When his sister cocked her head at him, he said, "Sorry, I was just thinking about Levi's response to that. He'd probably be like, 'What are you talking about, you stupid brat? I'm a grown-ass man who can take care of his damn self,' or something like that." He narrowed his eyes and flattened his mouth into a bitter frown, causing Mikasa to burst out laughing._

_Eren relaxed his face and laughed along with her until she calmed down. Mikasa didn't laugh often, so, when she did, Eren felt like he had to savor the moment. He smiled at her, thrilled to watch her enjoy something, and then said, "You saved his life, you know."_

_She looked up and stopped laughing. "Eh?"_

_"During the last expedition, you killed the Titan before it could bite all the way through him. Thank you."_

_The woman shyly brought her scarf up to cover the lower half of her face, and she sat back in her chair. She was quiet for a few seconds before saying, "He's family. He's my brother-in-law. And, if he died, who'd help you raise my nephew?" Her eyes glanced upwards to her brother, and she finished, "I'm more grateful to you, Eren. For the first time in my entire life, my family grew."_

_Eren smiled at her and recalled when he and Levi had announced the expecting of their son. Mikasa had been the first one to defend them, and she had been the first one to offer her support. Without a doubt, she was like Erwin, in that she supported those she loved from behind the scenes._

_At that moment, the waiter returned with their lunches, and the two settled down to eat. They were quiet at first, more interested in their food, but then Mikasa said, "I've also been seeing Jean lately."_

_Eren gagged on his food._

_Mikasa immediately jumped up and slapped Eren on the back a few times until he spit the offending food out and could breathe normally. The three guys at the table next to them asked if he was okay, and he waved them off. The waiter rushed to their table side, but Eren insisted that he was fine. The waiter hesitantly left, and the men eventually went back to their drinking and chattering. Mikasa sat back down in her seat, and Eren awkwardly stared at her._

_"Come again?"_

_"I've been seeing Jean lately."_

_"You mean like-!"_

_The woman's voice dropped low. "I'm not sleeping with him, dumbass."_

_"Then what-!"_

_"I've just been spending time with him. He got hurt on the expedition, too, so I visited him one afternoon after he got out of the hospital. We just enjoy each other's company."_

_Eren raised an eyebrow and started eating again. "Are you sure about that?"_

_"Eren…"_

_"Look, Jean and I aren't exactly close friends, but you've barely given the guy a glance since the day we met him. Why are you suddenly spending time with him? Do you feel like you don't have anybody else? Because, if you do, you shouldn't."_

_Mikasa couldn't speak._

_Eren sighed heavily. "I always told you that you spent too much time fussing over me, and now I understand why you did, but you never focused on yourself. Everything you've ever done has always been connected to another person, be that person me or Armin or whoever. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but I really wish you'd find a way to get satisfaction out of yourself."_

_Silence._

_"And I don't want Jean to get hurt more than he already is."_

_A few tears pricked at the corners of Mikasa's eyes._

_Eren saw his sister's reaction and smiled gently. "I don't want to upset you. You deserve a good life. You deserve to find your own happiness. That's all I want for you, but I want you to know that you are NEEDED, Mikasa. I still need you. Levi needs you. That adorable nephew of yours needs you. I didn't abandon you after I got married; I just have my own life now. You deserve your own happy life, too, and, if you find that with Jean, well, I have no right to intervene. Just make sure that you're with him because you want to be, not because you feel sorry for him or think nobody else wants you."_

_Mikasa whimpered quietly and rubbed her eyes, clutching her scarf at her nose. She took a few deep breaths through it and then nodded, setting it back around her neck and going back to her food. "You really have grown up."_

_Eren grinned and also went back to his food._

_"But you're a terrible liar. You and Jean are close friends."_

_It was a good thing that Eren hadn't taken a bite, because he would have gagged on that piece, too._

When Mikasa looked up, she realized she was already at the gate leading into Wall Maria's interior. A few Garrison soldiers stood nearby, and the ferry leading to Wall Rose was set to leave in a few minutes. Taking a deep breath, Mikasa walked past the soldiers and boarded the ferry. After all, the Wall Rose city closest to Zhiganshina was Trost.

* * *

Jean hoisted the sheets above his head as sunlight streamed into his room. What time was it? Did it even matter anymore? It wasn't like he had any plans, and he didn't even want to do anything anyway. He had missed days of work already, but nobody was coming after him for it. Nobody seemed to be looking for him anyway. With this depressing thought in mind, he rolled over and tried to go back to sleep.

Of course, that was when the door had to open. "Jean sweetie," his mother called, "are you awake?"

Jean groaned and threw the sheets off him. "I don't want to be bothered, I already told you!"

His mother shook her head. "You visit home for the first time in years, and all you do is mope in bed. It's a beautiful day outside. Come with me to the market or something."

"Stop talking to me like I'm a kid!"

"Says the so-called 'adult' from his childhood bed."

Ouch. Jean had no snappy comeback for that one, so he covered himself back up again and curled into a ball, hoping his mother would leave. He had visited a few days prior because he had missed the comforts of home, but that didn't mean he wanted to spend time with his mother.

The woman just sighed and walked over to him. She gently brought the covers down and kissed her son's forehead. "When you want to talk, you will. You know you're welcome home anytime. Hmm, how about I make you an om-om? You haven't properly eaten since you got here. Would that make you feel better?" She smiled when her son nodded and kissed him again. "Okay, gimme a few minutes."

Just as she promised, Mrs. Kirschtein soon returned with her son's favorite meal. For the first time in days, Jean sat up in bed and ate properly. He was still only wearing a ratty t-shirt and underwear, and his hair and face were a mess, but his mother still smiled anyway. This was better than nothing. She kissed her son again and headed back downstairs.

As soon as she reached the bottom floor, there was a knock at the front door. She opened it to reveal a young woman. "Yes?"

"Oh, um, my name is Mikasa Ackerman, and—"

"Oh, are you looking for Jean?"

Mikasa nodded. "Is he here?"

Mrs. Kirschtein nodded. "Yes, please come in." She moved out of the way so Mikasa could step inside and then closed the door. "He's upstairs, follow me." She headed back up the stairs, Mikasa right behind her, and opened the door to her son's room. "Jean sweetie, your little friend is here to see you."

The fork in Jean's hands skidded across the plate, creating a loud, unpleasant squeaking noise. Jean stared, wide-eyed with a mouthful of omelette, at his mother, and his cheeks turned bright red when he made eye contact with Mikasa. The dark-haired woman didn't say anything, breaking the eye contact to look at the piles of dirty clothes and layers of dust scattered about the room.

Jean forced himself to swallow the bite of food in his mouth and let out a panicked, embarrassed scream. "KNOCK BEFORE YOU OPEN THE DAMN DOOR, YOU OLD HAG! I'M IN MY UNDERWEAR FOR GOD'S SAKE!"

"That's not my problem, Jean sweetie, I stopped dressing you years ago."

"GODDAMMIT GET OUT GET OUT GET OUUUUUUUT!" He threw his pillow at the door and fearfully looked at Mikasa, who just watched the entire scene unfold with wide eyes. Mrs. Kirchstein muttered something about how ungrateful her son was and turned to leave.

"Geez, I make you a yummy om-om full of love and bring your little friend up to see you, and this is how you repay me?"

"GET THE HELL OUT!"

His mother rolled her eyes and shut the door behind her, leaving the two young adults alone. Jean immediately shifted his panic to Mikasa, who kept silently staring at him. Jean nearly wailed and buried himself back underneath his bed covers, shouting about how she needed to leave, too. Mikasa could hear him ramble on about how horrible he looked and how this was the worst day of his life before giggling quietly, only making Jean wish a Titan had eaten him ages ago.

"It's not that bad."

Jean sat up and stared at Mikasa in disbelief.

Her smiled widened and she continued, "You should have seen Eren first thing in the morning when we were kids."

Jean had to smile at the thought of Eren looking worse than he did in the morning, and he slowly sat back up in bed, cheeks still bright red and hands trembling somewhat. "Oh god, this is the worst. I look so damn stupid right now."

"No," Mikasa continued, still smiling, "it's cute. It's nice how you can still go home whenever you want. Your mom must really love you."

Jean's blush deepened and he laughed a little harder, holding his face in his hands and still in shock that this was even happening. Mikasa sat down next to his bed, and Jean crawled out and sat down next to her, the two looking and sounding more like goofy teenagers than grown adults. It almost felt like they were living the teenage years they never had.

Eventually, Mikasa's face softened, and her voice became remorsefully sincere. "I owe you an apology, Jean. It was really terrible of me to stop coming to see you so suddenly."

Jean's face fell. "Mikasa…"

"I've been thinking a lot lately, and I've been really selfish. I'm sorry I put you through that."

Jean didn't have the heart to tell her that the reason he had come home in the first place was because he had been heartbroken over her not seeing him all of a sudden.

Mikasa sighed. "So I've decided to take this more seriously. I'm sorry if you feel like I used you. I swear that I didn't mean to, but I was looking for someone to confide in. That day when I first came over was the same day you and Levi had been released from the hospital, so I had been at Eren and Levi's place before coming to see you. I just…I've spent most of my life with Eren, focusing only on him. I don't think I was wrong to do that. I supported him when he told me he was going to marry Levi, and I supported them when they had their son, but I felt like I was being left behind. Without Eren, I didn't think I had anyone, so I went to you, knowing that you knew what loss felt like."

Jean frowned and hugged his knees to his chest, resting his chin on top of them. He didn't like what he was hearing, but he couldn't blame Mikasa for feeling that way. Still, something about her explanation confused him. "When you say 'loss'," he began, "what do you mean?"

So Mikasa told him.

She told him everything that happened to her on that horrible day when she was just nine years old. She spared no detail about how cold she had felt, how petrified she had been, and how sad and relieved she had felt in the aftermath of it all. She explained why Eren was so important, and, after all that, she didn't need to explain why she had felt left behind when he had gone and made his own life.

When she was done, Jean shut his eyes tightly and lowered his head so his forehead was resting against his knees. Mikasa watched him sympathetically, wondering if she should have held back somewhat, but at least now she felt like she was being honest.

"Damn," Jean finally said, not looking up, "that makes my life look like a peaceful fantasy world filled with rainbows."

Mikasa shook her head even though she knew Jean couldn't see her. "It's not a competition. Your feelings are just as valid. You know what loss feels like."

He finally looked up at her and said, "Do you know what hurts the worst?" After a pause, he finished, "I never got to confess."

Mikasa bit her lip.

"Heh, I was going to tell him on the day we entered the Military Police together. I was going to tell him how much I loved and cared about him. One minute, we're making plans to work together, and I was hoping we could be together, and the next…" He held up his right hand and stared at his palm. "…and the next I'm holding the charred bones of Marco Bodt in this very hand. Hell, I don't even know if they were his bones. And I still don't know how it happened. And now I'm wondering why he didn't save me on the expedition. He's my guardian angel, right? So why did Ymir have to grab me to keep me from dying? Where the hell was Marco?!"

"Jean!"

Mikasa grabbed onto him, instantly snapping him out of his panic. Jean stared into her eyes, took a few deep breaths, and leaned back against his bed. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

After a moment of silence, Mikasa reached out, took the man's hand, and said, "Jean, let's go out on a date. Let's try to make this work."

* * *

It was early evening by the time the two arrived back in Zhinganshina (thankfully with a freshly washed and fully dressed Jean, much to his mother's delight). Neither one changed clothes, content to go out in their casual wear. Mikasa directed Jean towards a slightly nicer restaurant and bar that served more than beer and hard liquor in the downtown area, explaining that it was a favorite place of Eren's. Jean was fine with that, and the two were soon seated.

Jean could hardly believe that this was happening to him. His heart beat rapidly in his chest, and he was thankful for the low light so that the flush on his cheeks was less visible. Mikasa was his dream girl, someone he had been crushing on since the moment he had laid eyes on her. While he had loved Marco, he had always had a thing for Mikasa, almost like a celebrity crush. She WAS the new up-and-coming "Humanity's Strongest," after all.

"This place has really good fish since it's near the river," the woman explained, catching Jean's attention.

Jean looked down at his menu. "Oh, okay, I'll get the catch of the day then."

At that moment, the waiter came by their table, introduced himself, and offered drinks. "Can we have some wine please?" Mikasa asked.

The waiter nodded. "Okay, so two glasses of wi—"

"Thr—"

Jean stopped short, the last part of the word on the tip of his tongue. He looked up at Mikasa, who looked back at him with concern. Gripping his menu, he searched his brain for something, anything, gasping when he heard a voice.

_Please don't._

Silence.

"Sorry," Jean eventually said, "just two."

* * *

_I'm sorry I couldn't protect you on my own. I didn't have enough strength to get you out of harm's way during the expedition. It was chaos! So I grabbed ahold of Ymir since she was the closest to you and used her to help you. She probably thinks that it was her body acting on its own, but it was me. Please don't ever think that I'd abandon you, Jean. I'll always watch over you and keep you safe, but I'm so happy that you're moving on with your life. You've been depressed and isolated for far too long, so please try to create your own life and your own happiness._

_I want this for you, because I love you._

"Time for bed, baby, let's go."

"Okay!" the little boy replied as Eren walked out of the kitchen. "Can I finish my water first?"

Eren nodded. "Then put your cup in the sink and come upstairs so Papa and I can tuck you in."

The boy nodded back and drank the last of what was in his cup. He finished just as Eren reached the top of the stairs and then put the cup in the sink, just as instructed. The days were starting to get longer, so he was thankful that there was still some light to guide him up the stairs.

But, as soon as he reached the stairs, the little boy stopped and turned to look out a nearby window. For a split-second, he thought he had seen someone. He thought he had seen a young man in a trainee uniform, and, even though the light outside was limited, he suddenly realized that he had a clear image of the man's face in his mind: dark hair, dark eyes, somewhat darker skin, freckles, and a sweet, loving smile.

"You coming up soon?"

"Yes, Papa! Sorry!" the little boy called back, running up the stairs.  _That's weird,_ he thought as he entered his bedroom,  _why did I just think of Guardian Angel Marco?_


	31. Word Story

"Our anniversary is coming up. What do you want to do?"

Levi paused in washing the breakfast dishes to look up at his husband. Eren was smiling hopefully, his eyes almost sparking as if he were thinking up all sorts of possibilities for the celebration.

Levi shrugged. "I don't know, I haven't really thought about it. It's not for another month."

"But that's why, if we want to do something, we need to plan it now!" Eren insisted. "It's not a milestone year, but we should still do something. We could have a date night somewhere, like we could go to a really nice restaurant, or we could throw a party!"

"No." Levi's voice was quick and firm, and he went back to washing. "There's no way in hell you're throwing some giant party, not like you did for Christmas that one time."

"I was primarily thinking of your birthday!" the younger nearly whined. "And…okay, I know, throwing that big party while you were pregnant was a bad idea, but you're not pregnant now, so—"

"Don't remind me."

Eren froze, eyes wide and cheerful persona gone. He stared at Levi, letting the implications of what he had just said sink in, and gradually slumped over, hanging his head. "I'm sorry," he said quietly, feeling guilt and shame bubble up in his chest. "I'm sorry, I just…" He let his words trail and then turned to leave his husband alone.

Only Levi would have none of that. "Eren," he said as he placed the last clean dish on the counter, "come here, I'm sorry, that was my fault," He wiped his hands on his apron and took his husband's hand. "I shouldn't have said that, I'm sorry."

Eren looked back at Levi with a gentle smile. "We'll keep trying. It'll happen eventually."

Levi nodded glumly. His hope that they could have another baby someday was slowly dwindling away.

They were quiet for a few more seconds, standing there hand-in-hand in the kitchen, until Levi said, "I want to go outside."

Eren's eyes widened again. "Huh?"

"Outside the Walls. I want all three of us to spend the day outside."

Eren was momentarily speechless, absorbing what his husband had just said to him. "Sure!" he replied enthusiastically, a smile breaking out on his face until another horrible thought struck him. "Wait, really? After…?"

"After what?"

"After the failed expedition?"

Levi sighed. "We were far away from the Walls, and the only reason the expedition failed was because those dumbass religious conservatives attacked us. They won't be around this time, and we'll stick close to the Walls. We'll do a quick scouting with the Garrison guards to make sure there are no Titans in the area the day before and then go out." He looked up at Eren with a hint of longing in his eyes. "C'mon, Eren, I know you want to go outside, too. We haven't been outside for fun since Connie proposed to Sasha."

Eren nodded and brought Levi's hand to his lips, kissing it sweetly before saying, "I just can't bear to see you hurt again."

Levi gently took his hand away. "And that thought is very much appreciated, but don't forget who you're talking to. Anyway, I have to get ready to go. My meeting with Erwin is in a few hours." He took his apron off and hung it up in the hallway supply closet. His son came down just as he headed up the stairs, patting him on the head as they passed each other.

A few minutes later, Levi came back downstairs in his full Survey Corps uniform. He tied his cravat into place just as his son wrapped his little arms around one of his legs. Levi looked down at the boy and said, "You're gonna be good for Daddy today, right?"

The boy nodded. "I will. Have a good meeting!"

Levi was about to thank him when the whole family heard what sounding like someone kicking the front door. Eren walked past his husband and son to open it, gasping when he did so. "Connie!" he nearly shrieked. "What happened to your hands?!"

Levi and their son came rushing to the front door to see what the commotion was. Connie stood there with his cut up, bruised, slightly bloodied hands raised for the family to see and, in a desperate voice, said, "Eren, can you come help me build a crib please? You're the only person I know who's built a crib, and I'm afraid that if Sasha laughs any harder she's gonna go into early labor."

The entire Jaeger family was speechless for a few seconds, taking in the scene before them, before Eren broke the silence with a horribly restrained laugh. "Oh my god, you poor man," he said, and then he turned to Levi. "Do we still have our crib?"

Levi shook his head. "We chopped it into firewood after he outgrew it."

"Oh, that's right, hmm…" Eren turned back to Connie and gave him a sympathetic smile. "Sure, Connie, I'll help you. Just let me get my tool set."

"Oh my god, thank you." Connie genuinely looked like he was about to cry out of relief.

"Wait, Eren," Levi called, making Eren pause just as he pulled his tool kit from the closet, "what about…?" He pat their son on the head.

Eren's eyes widened. "Oh, um, I don't want him around all the tools and supplies. I could always drop him off at Armin's place or something."

"You still owe Armin from that time we went to the restaurant."

"Oh damn, you're right…"

Levi sighed heavily. "It's fine, whatever, I'll just take him with me."

"Huh?" The boy looked up. "I'm coming with you to your meeting, Papa?"

Levi nodded. "It's just with Uncle Erwin. It's been a while, but you remember him, right? Tall, blond hair…"

"Is he the one with only one arm?"

"Uh-huh."

"I remember him!"

"Good. I'll ask if you can have some drawing supplies so you're not bored while we have our meeting. It shouldn't be too long though, maybe a little less than an hour. And then we'll go to the market on our way back home."

* * *

A few hours later, just as planned, Levi and his son entered Wall Rose and made their way towards the Survey Corps headquarters building. It was a nicely furnished, relatively new building, but Levi was just thankful that the old, run down castle deep in the woods had been left behind for good. While the old castle had had its own charms, Levi still flinched every time he thought about the cobwebs and layers of dirt and dust covering every inch of the place.

"Papa, why is the Survey Corps building not in Wall Sina?" his son asked as they entered the building. "Isn't that where the Military Police and the Garrison are?"

"The Military Police protects the King, so they have to be in Wall Sina," Levi explained. "The Garrison works under the Military Police, so they have to stay close to them. The Survey Corps is on its own, so we can be wherever we want. Since Wall Rose is the middle wall, we can access either the other two branches and the King or the outside world pretty easily."

"Hmm, I guess that makes sense."

They waited for a few minutes until a soldier led them towards a door at the end of a hallway. The soldier knocked a few times, and a deep "come in" could be heard. Levi opened the door and smiled ever so slightly as the soldier left them alone.

Erwin looked up from his work and smiled wide. "Well, I'll be," he said, standing up from his desk, "it's been far too long, Levi."

"It has," Levi agreed, shutting the door behind him and meeting his friend at the desk.

Erwin looked down at the smaller visitor, still wearing that big smile. "And it's been FOREVER since I last saw you. Look how much you've grown! Your papa was still carrying you everywhere last time I saw you."

"I'm sorry to bring him unannounced," Levi said. "Eren was going to take him, but one of his idiot friends stole him for the day."

"Ah, so it's a 'Papa and Me' kind of day instead then, huh?"

"I like spending time with Papa!" the boy insisted, clutching Levi's hand with both of his.

Erwin chuckled quietly. "I like spending time with your papa, too. He's a very good friend of mine. Can I borrow him for a little while? I promise that you can have him back when we're done."

The boy pouted for a moment but then smiled and nodded. Erwin nodded back, reached into his desk, and pulled out some blank sheets of paper and a pen, insisting that the child draw a pretty picture while the adults talked. The boy agreed and was soon escorted out of the room, leaving the old friends alone.

"Survey Corps soldiers will be watching him, so you don't need to worry," the blond explained. "Can I get you some wine? It's all I have right now."

"That's fine," Levi replied, sitting in a chair opposite Erwin's and throwing his head back.

Erwin sighed heavily as he poured two glasses. "I've heard about everything. I know all about that failed expedition a two months ago, and I know about the religious conservatives, especially the ones within the Military Police. I'm sorry you have to deal with that." He set one of the filled glasses down in front of Levi and took a sip from the other one.

Levi groaned and sat back up, taking a sip from his glass. "I expected you of all people to know all the gritty details. You're basically one step below Zackley, right? Damn near everything has to go through you these days." Another sip. "I like that though. You're one of the few people I know who actually has all his crap together."

Erwin smirked at that. "You're a lot nicer than I remember you being."

Levi eyed him. "Say that again?"

"I mean it. You've changed a lot. You haven't changed as a person, but, I don't know, the way you talk, the way you carry yourself, those things have changed."

Levi narrowed his eyes in a futile attempt to look threatening. Erwin pretended not to notice the light blush on his cheeks and took another sip. "Just saying."

"Yeah, well…I can't exactly be my usual self around my son. I don't want to scar the kid for life."

"I don't think you'd do that," Erwin replied thoughtfully. "He seems to love you more than anybody."

"Well, I'll do whatever it takes to protect him," Levi said quickly, dodging the comment. "I hate how I constantly have to look over my shoulder every time I take him outside. I knew that there were people against Eren and me marrying, more for who we are rather than our same genders, and I know that a good handful of people dislike our son and don't think he should have been born, but nobody actually started carrying out any threats until recently. And it's only worse because our enemies are people, not Titans. These are the people the Survey Corps is supposed to be freeing, and here are some of those people waging a war on us."

"And it almost got you killed," Erwin added, swirling the drink in his glass. His face then suddenly fell. "I'm sorry I didn't visit you in the hospital. In the aftermath of that failed expedition, all three HQ buildings were in a panic. I was swamped."

Levi shrugged. "Whatever, it doesn't matter."

"Yes, it does," the blond insisted, setting his drink down. "I feel bad, Levi. I feel bad about not visiting you while you were injured. You're my friend so I should have been there for you. But, hell, I still feel bad that I barely visited you while you were pregnant."

Levi looked at Erwin as if he had just grown another head. "What the hell are you talking about? I didn't want anyone visiting. I was a disgusting, filthy mess for nearly eight months, and then labor was just horrible, so, yeah, I don't care that you didn't visit."

Erwin sighed heavily. "But I do. I'm supposed to be your friend. I'm supposed to be there for you."

"Pfft, that's what I have a husband for. I made him clean everything up."

Erwin smiled at that. "Please tell me he obeyed every single little thing you asked him to do the way he used to, looking like some puppy eager to please his master."

"If photographs weren't so damn expensive, I'd have a portrait of his face during that time hanging on the living room wall."

Erwin burst out laughing, and Levi smirked as he took another sip of wine.

"You're the one who's really changed."

Erwin stopped laughing. "Hmm?"

Levi looked at him through his dark bangs. "When you were the commander, you always looked at the big picture. It wasn't that you didn't care about individuals, but, if you thought something would help humanity in the long run, you did it, even if that meant people got killed. The only individual you ever focused your attention on was Eren, and, even then, you only did so because you had humanity in mind the whole time. And now you're telling me that I'm your friend and that you should have been there for me? That doesn't sound like the Erwin Smith I know." He took another sip of wine and said, "Just saying."

There was a short silence between them until Erwin spoke. "You've always been important to me, Levi, both as a soldier and as a friend. I'm happy for you and the life you've created. I'm glad that you have a happy marriage and a healthy child. Really, truly, if this happiness could happen to anyone, I'm glad it happened to you. You deserve it. I already know that I'm going to hell for all the sacrifices I've made, but I can at least be good to the people I care about the most." He leaned over his desk a bit and, in a serious, quiet voice, said, "I'm going to do everything in my power to stop those religious conservatives. I can't silence them or directly order them to do anything, but I can have Nile keep a close watch on them."

Levi rolled his eyes. "As if some guy who can't even keep a decent beard could help us." He was quiet for a few seconds, watching as Erwin sat back in his chair, and then said, "Eren and I are trying to have another baby."

Erwin immediately perked up at this, his eyes widening with a tinge of joy. "Oh? So those nine months and labor must not have been that bad, huh?"

Levi's face twisted into a grimace. "It was hell," he spat, "but it's a hell I'm willing to endure again."

Erwin smiled. "Calm down, I was kidding. I'm happy for you, Levi."

Levi's face fell at those words. "That's the thing," he said, sadness creeping into his voice. "Eren and I have been trying since January and…nothing. I'm even pissed that I can drink this wine. I'm starting to fear that it may have been a one-time deal, you know? Obviously, Eren's Titan powers had something to do with it, but what if they did something else, too…?"

Erwin sighed heavily and leaned back in his chair. He brought his glass to his lips and swallowed the last bit of wine, licking his lips and releasing a satisfied huff. "I'll always listen when you need to talk, Levi, but I don't know what to tell you. You're better off—"

"Asking the maniac with the stupid glasses, I know. I'm sorry, I just…"

_Levi opened the front door to the Jaeger house, and his eyes widened in horror. The place was an utter mess. From down the hall he could see stains of all different colors splattered against the walls, floor, and counter. Dirt was scattered around the hallway floor, and toys littered the connecting living room's floor. None other than Eren Jaeger himself was lying in the middle of the living room floor, sleeping soundly on his back while a nine-month-old baby slept on his stomach._

_"I was only gone for two hours," Levi whispered in a dark, menacing voice. "How did you screw up this badly?"_

_He set his bag of training supplies down next to the front door and stood next to Eren, the younger unaware of his husband's return. Levi wiped his brow as he took in the scene and sighed. The workout had felt so good. His body was FINALLY returning to its usual muscular state, another month or so of intense training would do it._

_Of course, the world just had to turn against him when he was feeling so good._

_The sound of quiet whimpers snapped Levi out of his thoughts, and he looked down to see his son stirring awake. The baby gripped at Eren's shirt and kicked his little legs out as he returned to consciousness, Levi's heart melting at the sight._

_Letting some of his anger go, Levi picked his son up and held him against his chest, resting the boy's head against his shoulder. "Hello, baby, did you have a nice nap?" he asked, gently rubbing the boy's back. The baby's cries quieted, and he looked up at his papa with wide awake eyes. Levi let himself smile slightly at the sight of them. When they had turned green and flawlessly matched Eren's, a sense of relief had washed over him. Gray eyes wouldn't suit an adorably sweet child like his son. No, sparkling green was a better color for him._

_"So tell me, how did Daddy manage to mess up this badly, huh?" he continued, carrying the baby upstairs to the master bedroom. "Seems like he tried to make you a snack, then he took you outside, then he attempted to entertain you…why couldn't you two have just slept the whole time? Though I am impressed that he fit that much activity into two hours." He closed the bedroom door behind him and laid back against the headboard on his side of the bed, the boy resting against his chest and looking up at him with those big, beautiful eyes. "Ah, whatever," he sighed, "I'll make him clean it all up once he's awake, and we'll see if he even gets to sleep in the bed tonight. He seems pretty comfortable on the floor there."_

_But then Levi noticed something he hadn't seen before. While the house was a mess, the baby in his arms was clean. There wasn't a single smudge of dirt or food anywhere on the boy's face, and his long-sleeved onesie was spotless. His diaper didn't even need changing. Levi looked into his baby's eyes, and his face softened. "Okay," he sighed, "maybe Daddy didn't mess up so badly."_

_"Pah…"_

_Levi's eyes widened. "Huh?"_

_The baby brought his hand up to Levi's face and gently tapped his little fingers against his cheek a few times. "Pah…paaah…"_

_"Oh my god…"_

_"Pa…pah…Papa…Papa!" The boy smacked his hand against Levi's face a little bit harder as if to finalize his statement, and his face lit up with a huge smile._

_Levi couldn't move for a moment, his stunned eyes fixated on the joyful, little bundle giggling and squirming against his chest. With shaky hands, he held his son and sat up straight, placing kiss after kiss on the boy's head. "Yes," he whispered, unable to hold back the excitement and happiness in his voice, "that's right, I'm Papa." He took the boy's hand and pressed it against his nose. "Papa," he said, and then he brought the boy's hand down to his own nose, "ba—"_

_"OH MY GOD, BABY, WHERE ARE YOU?! HOLY CRAP, NO, NO, NO, COME TO DADDY, COME TO DADDY!"_

_Stifling a laugh, Levi stood and secured the child on his hip. "Come on, let's go make Daddy clean the house. We'll watch him do it," he said as he headed downstairs. "I'll get us some drinks and snacks. It'll be fun."_

"I just want to hear another little voice call me 'Papa'."

Erwin grinned. "And I can think of no better person in all of humanity to be that baby's papa."

* * *

About another half-hour later, Levi and his son left the Survey Corps HQ building (He and Erwin found several soldiers playing with the child, and, when Levi took the boy's hand and said it was time to go home, the soldiers simultaneously said, "Aw, does he have to go?") and started making their way back home. The carriage brought them to the gate that connected Zhiganshina to the inner part of Wall Maria, and they headed straight for the market. Levi hoped that Eren would be home by then or at least soon, so he figured it was time to start thinking about dinner.

"Hey, baby," he said as he inspected the vegetables for sale.

The boy looked up. "Hmm?"

"What do you think about going outside the Walls with Daddy and me next month?"

The boy's eyes widened. "Really? Like that time when Uncle Connie asked Aunt Sasha to marry him?"

"Sort of," Levi replied, "only it would be just the three of us. June 10th is Daddy's and my wedding anniversary, the day we got married, so we want to celebrate by going outside the Walls with you. What do you think?"

The boy was about to reply when someone accidentally bumped into him from behind. He jumped up and hid behind Levi, watching with fearful eyes as the person muttered a quick "sorry" and walked away. Levi immediately bent down and said, "Are you okay?"

The child nodded reluctantly. "I'm sorry…I just got scared because I thought it was a bad person again, like that one time…"

Levi gently caressed his son's face and placed a kiss on his forehead. "It's fine, you're fine. I'm here to protect you." He stood back up and gripped his son's hand reassuringly, hoping to settle child's nerves.

But the boy just looked up at him and said, "But who will protect you if we go outside?"

"Daddy," Levi replied quickly, "Daddy will protect me. He'll protect both of us."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"You're not scared something bad will happen?"

"No. Fear shouldn't hold us back from doing what we want to do."

The child squeeze Levi's hand and managed a smile. "Okay," he agreed, following as Levi led him to another vegetable stand. "I like it outside. It's better out there. I mean, inside is nice, but outside is where we're supposed to be, right?"

Levi nodded. "A boat at a dock is safe, but that's not what a boat is supposed to do." He reached across the vegetables to the herbs and shoved a big bushel of them into his basket.  _I'm gonna have another baby, dammit. I don't care what I have to do._ He then reached into the vegetable bin and pulled a few ripe ones out for inspection.

His son looked up at him. "Are you gonna do the cucumber thing with Daddy tonight?"

Levi choked on his own saliva.

Neither one of them saw Hanji just a few feet away. She glanced at the bushel of herbs in Levi's basket, knowing what they were for, and then left, not bothering to say hello.


	32. Choice Story, Part 1

_I once told Eren that the only thing we're allowed to do is believe we won't regret the choice we made. I said this but I have regrets, far too many for me to count._

_They start early, long before my Survey Corps days. I try to suppress them, but they always come back to the front of my mind. I see shop owners calling customers to their stores, and I remember stealing from them to survive. I see friends spending time together, and I remember how I took Isabel and Farlan's company for granted. I see the world beyond these Walls, and soldiers' deaths flash before my eyes._

_I try to convince myself that not everything was my fault. Abuse is never the victim's fault, right? So I shouldn't feel like I provoked that serial killer to raise me more with a striking hand than an outstretched one._

_Yet I do._

_I look at my son, and I say, "He's happy, I'm doing a good job." But could he be happier? Could I be doing something else or just something differently to make his life better? Would doing something differently in the past have made him happier today? He's a good boy, but am I raising him the right way so that he grows into a respectable man?_

_No. Stop. I don't want to think about him growing up._

_But time isn't standing still, and my baby won't be a baby forever._

_I once told Eren that the only thing we're allowed to do is believe we won't regret the choice we made._

_I never once thought about a situation where the choice had already been made for us._

* * *

"Ugh, this rain is so gloomy," Hanji sighed as she pulled her cape hood over her head and walked out into the empty streets of downtown Trost. The rain hadn't stopped for a good two days now, and the streets were starting to flood a bit, so most people had stocked up on supplies early and were now waiting out the storm at home. Hanji was wearing her uniform, so her knee-high boots offered quite a bit of protection from the rising water levels. Still, she was determined to return to HQ. She clutched a box of medical supplies at her side and started to speed walk.

At one point, the wind started to pick up. Hanji pulled the hood lower on her head and wished she had worn her goggles instead of her glasses. She groaned when the rain splattered against her glasses, causing her to squint.

A moment later, she crashed into someone. The box of supplies hit the ground with a loud thump, but, thankfully, it didn't break. Hanji looked up, not caring about the rain pelting her face, and was about to say something when the other person cried out.

"Wah! I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going! Oh my god, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry!" The person, a young woman, scrambled to her feet, quickly brushed off her dress and apron, and grasped Hanji's hands. "Are you alright? Oh my god, I got you all wet, no! Are you hurt? I'm not a doctor—well, not yet I guess, but I could—Eep! Why am I talking about myself?! You! Are you—?!"

Hanji set the woman's hands down. "I'm fine, it's okay," she insisted. "No need to get all hysterical. What about you? You fell. Are you okay?"

"Yes! I'm fine! I, uh…wait…" The woman's eyes widened, and her hands began to shake. "Wait, I know who you are! Hanji Zoe of the Survey Corps, right? Oh my god, OH MY GOD, I can't believe it's you! I just—Wait, I'm not a stalker or anything! I'm not trying to be creepy! My father used to talk about you all the time…MY FATHER WASN'T A CREEP EITHER! He was in the Survey Corps, and—!"

"…Daemon?"

The woman's eyes widened further. "You knew his name?!"

"He mentioned that he had a daughter once, and you look a lot like him, Miss…?"

"Zita!"

Hanji smiled. "It's nice to meet you, Zita! You going somewhere?"

"Uh, I, uh…I came into Wall Rose to see if the bookstores here in Trost had more of what I was looking for than the ones in Zhiganshina, but I—"

"Oh, then come on back with me to HQ. You can take a look at our private library if you want."

Zita's face lit up bright red, and her shoulders began to tremble. "Oh my god, I could never! No, no, I'm not a Survey Corps soldier!"

"I insist!" Hanji grabbed her hand, picked up the box of medical supplies, and ran through the rain all the way back to the headquarters building.

* * *

Poor Zita was a panting, dizzy, wet mess by the time they arrived. She fell in the lobby, prompting several other soldiers to call the medics. "Not necessary," Hanji insisted as she picked Zita up over her shoulder and headed towards the library. She tossed the box of supplies to Moblit and told him to bring it to her lab, the poor man whimpering something that sounded like "Squad Leader, no" as she left with a spring in her step.

Zita came to her senses just as Hanji opened the library door and set her down in the entranceway. As soon as she saw how massive the Survey Corps library was, a red blush bloomed across her cheeks, and she stared at Hanji as if she had just given her the greatest Christmas gift ever.

Hanji grinned back at her. "Don't just stand there, take a look around!"

"Is…Is this really okay?!"

"I don't know but nobody's here to tell me it's not."

Tears started to form at the corners of Zita's eyes. "Why…? Why did you bring me here?"

Hanji shrugged and led her inside. "I dunno, I just couldn't leave you out in the rain, and I feel bad for crashing into you. Did you want to borrow some clean clothes, by the way?"

"Oh no, please don't trouble yourself for me!"

Hanji shrugged again. "Alright, suit yourself. So what kind of books were you looking for?"

Zita finally regained her composure, and she smiled sheepishly. "I'm an apprentice midwife, so…"

"Oh wow, that's so cool!" Hanji interrupted, face lighting up. "So your dad fought for our freedom, and you bring the next generation into the world. Talk about helping humanity! So you're probably looking for biology books and stuff on how to ease pain, right? This way." She led Zita to a back shelf. "Start here. You never know what you'll find!"

Zita's eyes were still tearing as she pulled a few books off the shelf and started looking through them. Hanji grinned and nodded, satisfied with herself, and pulled herself a book off another shelf. For a few minutes, the two sat there in the library reading together in a peaceful silence. In the back of her mind, Hanji wondered if Moblit had managed to organize the medical supplies in the disaster zone that was her laboratory, but she didn't think too much of it.

At one point, Zita looked up from one of her books and said, "Um, Miss Hanji Zoe?"

"Just 'Hanji,' thanks."

"Oh, sorry, um…Hanji, you work very closely with Mr. Levi Jaeger, right?"

Hanji nodded. "We've worked together for years. Same with Eren. Oh, do you want to hear about some of the experiments we've done together? You know all about Eren's Titan form and abilities, right? We've learned some amazing things over the years!" She gave Zita an excited, hopeful look.

Zita smiled shyly. "Um, that's alright, I don't want to invade their privacy, and my father told me a lot about Eren. No, what I wanted to ask was if you knew about their current situation."

"Hmm?"

"They're trying to have another baby, and I was wondering if they had asked you for help."

Hanji's face immediately dropped, any and all passion and life gone from it in a split-second. She stared at Zita for a few seconds and then turned away, eyes suddenly dull and lifeless. "No, they haven't," she said quietly.

"Oh…are you aware that—"

"Yeah, I am."

Silence.

"Um, should I…?"

"Ah, sorry," Hanji replied, giving Zita a strained smile, "I got lost in thought for a second there. Keep reading as much as you want. If you'd like to borrow a few books, that's fine, too. Oh, and I'll join you on your way back to Zhiganshina. I'll stop by Eren and Levi's place."

* * *

The tea kettle whistled just as the brew inside came to a boil. Levi took it off the fire, gently poured some of it into a teacup, and set it down on a cool spot on the stove. He was about to bring the cup to his lips when Eren walked in and said, "Made tea? Can I have some?"

Levi shrugged. "If you want some. It's not your typical tea though."

"Huh?"

Levi indicated the remaining herbs bound together on the kitchen counter. Eren immediately understood and grinned. "You think of everything."

Levi shrugged again. "Might as well give it a shot. Can't hurt." He took a sip. "Hmm, not bad."

Eren nodded. "Then I'll have some, too. Can't hurt, right?" He poured himself a cup and quickly blew on it before taking a sip. The taste wasn't bad, it certainly wasn't as bold as Levi's usual black tea. It had a subtle spice to it with earthy undertones, and Eren briefly wondered what the other commonly found herbs at the market would taste like as tea.

After a minute of quiet, Levi sighed and looked out the window at the end of the hallway. "It's been raining for two days now. I don't like it."

"Yeah, it's horrible," Eren agreed, giving his husband a sympathetic look. "It's not even the rainy season yet. But, hey, I don't mind staying inside with you." He caught the smirk on Levi's face, as if his husband was saying, "Did you really just say that?" He grinned back and wrapped an arm around Levi's waist, the two standing close together and drinking their tea in the calm of the afternoon. Eren finished his first and set the cup down on the kitchen counter before leaning down and whispering in his husband's ear. "I can cheer you up if you want. Kid's taking a nap. You look like you need some cuddles and kisses and maybe something more."

Levi's smirk turned into a smile, and he leaned against Eren, breathing in his masculine scent. Even with the downpour outside, Eren remained bright and warm and gorgeously bronze.  _He truly is like the sun,_ Levi thought, allowing the younger to plant a few kisses along his neck. His kisses were even like rays of sunshine: life-giving and energizing. Levi felt his mood begin to lighten.

He didn't see the devilish smirk cross Eren's face. "Maybe I'll give you an extra special treat, too, since I hate seeing you so dreary with this weather. Would you like that,  _sevgilim_?"

A shudder ripped throughout Levi's body, and he let out an audible gasp. He heard Eren snicker and tried to sound menacing but failed miserably. "What the hell…even is that language?" he gasped as Eren continued to kiss his neck. "S'nothing like…anything else…"

Eren laughed against Levi's skin. "Mom called it 'Turkish.' She only knew a few phrases since the rest of the language died out, but most of the words she knew were terms of endearment. She would say them to Dad sometimes. Heh, I'm thankful that that's what survived." He moved upwards until he met Levi's lips and kissed them a few times, feeling his husband begin to melt beneath him.

_Knock knock!_

Of course.

With an exasperated groan, Levi pulled away from Eren and headed towards the front door. Eren grumbled something under his breath as he watched Levi's hips sway, and his smile didn't disappear entirely.

Levi opened the front door, and his eyes widened. "What the hell, four eyes? What are you doing? Never mind, get in here, it's pouring out there." He stepped aside so Hanji could come in and took her cape for her, hanging it up on a hook on the closet door's outer side. He then made her take off her boots and led her into the kitchen to warm up.

Eren was equally surprised to see her. "Hi, Hanji," he said, "what brings you here?"

Hanji pulled a file out from the bag hanging over her shoulder. "I have a few things I want to discuss with you. I've been meaning to discuss them for a while." She was about to open the file when sheets of paper hanging on the kitchen wall caught her eye. She turned towards them and said, "Did your son do those drawings?"

Eren nodded, smiling. "He's pretty good, huh? That's all of us in the places we're going to go when we finally live outside. He thought up all the places himself."

Hanji took in each of the pictures and narrowed her eyes. The locations were surprisingly well thought out, and the people reflected them perfectly. She could recognize Sasha, Connie, and a small child standing amongst large trees surrounded by multiple animals. Ymir and Historia were bundled up in heavy coats, so their area must have been very cold. The angel figure in the picture with Jean and Mikasa made her squint, but she shrugged it off as another part of the boy's imagination.

His wild, advanced imagination.

Levi coughed. "Four eyes, why the hell are you here?"

Hanji turned back to the two men and swallowed hard as she opened the file. "Like I said, I have some things I want to discuss with both of you. Going by word of mouth and that bundle of herbs over there, I understand that you're trying to have another child."

Eren's eyes brightened. "We've been meaning to discuss this with you! We were wondering if you could—" He stopped short when Hanji gave him a somber look, his cheery demeanor gone in a second.

"Levi," Hanji said quietly, "when you were pregnant, you were very ill. You were the sickest I've ever heard of a pregnant person being."

The man's breathing became shallow. "What's your point?"

Hanji pulled several papers out of the file. "I kept these notes during that time. You wouldn't let me touch you or experiment on you, but you let me observe. This is what I saw." She handed him the papers, which he reluctantly took, and said, "It's safe to say that Eren's Titan powers allowed you to get pregnant at all. You both must have had the clear goal of reproducing in mind when your son was conceived. There's still so much we don't know about how Shifter powers work, but I think this is the most logical conclusion." She paused and took a short breath. "I started wondering…what if you were, I guess, allergic to those powers?"

Levi stared at her with fear in his eyes. "What the hell…?"

"Maybe that's not the best way to explain it. See, there's no doubt that your body had to change quite a bit so you could carry a child. And then you had Eren's DNA, fused with Titan essence, inside you, so…crap, this isn't easy to explain." Hanji bit her lip and averted Levi's gaze. "Okay, basically what I'm saying is that I think the reason you were so sick while you were pregnant was because your body was rejecting Eren's Titan essence. There were two forces at work there. On one hand, the Titan powers created a womb and protected your child. On the other, they were also trying to protect you from this foreign object. The clash of these two forces made you sick. By the end of the eighth month, your son was just about ready to be born, so your body focused on preparing for that instead, which is why you weren't sick."

Eren swallowed hard and looked at Levi, who kept staring at Hanji with wide, fearful eyes. "Goddammit, four eyes," the shorter man whispered, "you knew about all this for years, and you decide you should just tell me about it now? You just saunter into my house and spew this crap in the middle of my kitchen?"

"Your body is still protecting you from Eren and his Titan-infused DNA."

Levi grabbed Hanji by the collar of her jacket. "One more word," he hissed, voice dropping low, "one more word and, I swear, I'll grind you into the ground..."

"I just don't want you to waste your time."

"GODDAMMIT, YOU STUPID-ASS—!"

"Levi!" Eren grabbed his husband's hands and tore them away from Hanji, who took a step back and fixed her collar as she cast the two of them a sympathetic look. Eren stared back at her and said, "What the hell are you saying, Hanji?"

Without a word, Hanji opened her bag and took out two Petri dishes. She then took three small vials filled with what looked like blood and set them all out on the kitchen counter. "Eren, this is your blood from a previous experiment," she finally explained, pouring a few drops into each dish. She closed that vial and then opened another one. "This is my blood. Watch." She opened the vial and poured a few drops of her own blood into a dish before closing it. "See, nothing. The two blend together just fine. But…" She opened the final vial and said, "This is Levi's blood, taken while he was in the hospital. If I add it to your blood…" She poured a few drops into the other dish, and the reaction was immediate. The two different bloods separated away from each other and wouldn't mix even when Hanji picked the dish up and swirled it around.

Suddenly, in a horrible moment of realization, Eren and Levi had the answer, and it crashed into them in such a way that the Armored Titan's assault on Wall Maria all those years ago looked like a friendly pillow fight.

* * *

The little boy napping upstairs woke to the sound of the master bedroom door slamming shut just as thunder crashed outside. He jumped up out of bed and threw the quilt off him, rushing to the door to see what was going on. Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes when he heard an anguished scream come from inside the master bedroom.

"…Papa?" he gasped, slowing inching closer to the door. He reached for the knob when Eren suddenly grabbed his hand.

"Sorry to wake you, baby," he tried to say with a steady voice, though he was quickly losing that fight. "Let's leave Papa alone for a while, okay?"

* * *

_I once told Eren that the only thing we're allowed to do is believe we won't regret the choice we made._

_I never once thought about a situation where the choice had already been made for us._

_I've often said that labor was the most painful thing I've ever experienced._

_I lied._

_This is worse._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Daemon (Greek origin) = "guardian spirit"
> 
> sevgilim (Turkish) = "my darling"


	33. Choice Story, Part 2

_"Wait a second, if we both had reproduction in mind when the kid was conceived, why won't my body let it happen again? We've both had reproduction in mind all the times we've tried!"_

_"Like I said, your body is protecting you from Eren's Titan-infused DNA. Because you were so sick the first time, your body is trying to prevent pregnancy from happening again. All your body knows is that it made you sick, not that it was worth it in the end."_

_"But…but why?! It shouldn't matter if—!"_

_"You probably had Levi's protection in mind at the time, too. I mean, your desire to protect Levi is always strong, so…I don't know. There's still so much about Shifter abilities that we don't understand. You'd be better of asking one of the other Shifters."_

_"DON'T JUST START SPEWING CRAP IF YOU DON'T FULLY UNDERSTAND IT, DAMN FOUR EYES!"_

_"Oh, all of a sudden you want to know every single little detail? How many times have we gone on expeditions outside the Walls after having been briefed on nothing? How many times have we trusted a superior, only for all the plans to fall apart and the expedition to end in disaster? How many times have you obeyed an order with little to no understanding as to why your superior wanted you to do it? In this case, the superior is Eren's Shifting power, and it doesn't feel like explaining anything."_

_"Then what about me? Could I carry—?"_

_"Absolutely not. Levi's body is protecting him from your powers. Your powers protect your body from any harm or outside forces. Think of all the times you've been hurt or something has affected your body in some way. You don't even get sick anymore. What makes you think your body would change to carry another person when it won't even let a germ in?"_

_"…Then, what about the other Shifters?"_

_"I really don't know, and we won't know anything unless they decide to have children. I won't force them to try. I refuse to use them as lab mice."_

_"Oh, but using me as your little experimental rat was just fine?"_

_"Don't give me that crap. I held up my end of the deal and didn't touch you. Hell, you made me promise never to lay a finger on your son, and I've complied. I've never even given the kid a damn hug."_

_"What about him though? Did my powers have any effect on him? If they affected Levi this much, then…"_

_"…I want to observe a little while longer."_

_"AT THIS RATE YOU'RE NEVER GONNA EVEN LAY EYES ON HIM."_

_"Levi…"_

_"GET THE HELL OUT OF MY HOUSE, YOU GODDAMN FOUR EYES, I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOUR STUPID-ASS FACE AGAIN."_

* * *

Levi didn't leave the master bedroom for a week.

It was difficult for Eren to explain to their son why he wasn't leaving the room. The poor boy desperately wanted to see his papa and bring him some comfort, claiming that being alone only made him sadder all the times he was upset. Eren almost couldn't stand his childish innocence.

"That might make you feel better, baby, but not every one deals with bad things that way," he explained one afternoon over lunch. "Papa will come out when he's ready."  _I hope,_ he thought as he brought a spoonful of cold soup to his lips. With Levi locked up in the master bedroom, all the household chores had fallen to Eren. Keeping the house clean hadn't been too much of a problem. The rain had calmed down somewhat, but Eren only went out to go to the market, so he wasn't tracking mud into the house, and their son wasn't leaving his toys out since no one was really playing with him. Food had been a different issue though. Eren could certainly cook, but he wasn't nearly as skilled as Levi. Most of the meals he made tended to be bland. Worse though, Levi was barely eating. Eren had been leaving plates of food outside the master bedroom door, but most of them remained untouched, and the ones that were touched were merely picked at. The one time Eren had tried to go into the room and make Levi eat, his husband had ignored him and pulled the bedsheets up over his head, and that was when Eren knew that he couldn't help Levi yet. In fact, he wasn't even sure if that still was Levi. The Levi he knew would verbally chew him out in such a case, while this one barely made a peep.

All of it broke Eren's heart. He found himself wishing that Hanji had never told them the truth, that they could just live in blissful ignorance and eventually give up their wish on their own.

After lunch was finished (even though he couldn't make Levi eat, Eren was adamant about their son cleaning his plate), Eren took the dishes into the kitchen to wash. His son followed him a like a little shadow, watching from the other side of the room as Eren scrubbed the bowls clean.

The change in the boy's demeanor was all too obvious. Without Levi, without his papa, the child didn't see any reason to be happy or get excited or play or laugh or even talk that much. "I love Papa," he had said one day through tears. "I don't like that Papa isn't happy! If Papa isn't happy, I'm not happy because I want Papa to be happy!" Eren had needed the rocking chair and a quiet lullaby that night. His singing voice wasn't as nice as Levi's, but it did the job well enough.

"Hey, Daddy?"

Eren turned, surprised that the boy was trying to make conversation. "Yes, baby? What is it?"

The child looked up at him with sad eyes. "Why…does Aunt Hanji never hug me?"

Eren dropped the bowl into the sink. Thankfully, it landed in a full tub of water, so it didn't break. Eren bit his lip as he quickly broke eye contact, unsure of how to answer. "It's…complicated," he finally said, turning back to the sink. "Before you were born, Aunt Hanji and Papa talked a lot and…I'm sorry, baby, it's not my place to say. It's between Aunt Hanji and Papa. But you should know that Aunt Hanji loves you very much."

The boy shrugged and leaned against the wall. "Since we've been leaving Papa alone, where are you sleeping, Daddy?"

Eren paused in washing the dishes for a moment, but he didn't reply. When he received no response, the boy let out a quiet whimper.

When Eren was done with the dishes, he went to the closet and fastened his rain cloak around his shoulders. "Hey, baby, I have to go outside and do some yard work to make sure the house doesn't flood." He knelt down in front of his son when the boy met him in the front hallway and gently pat his head. Oh, how he missed running his fingers through Levi's silky, black hair, and he felt a jab to his heart when he touched their son's identical locks. "Stay inside and don't bother Papa, okay? If you're good, I'll get you a yummy dessert from the bakery to eat after dinner, okay?"

The child nodded but he didn't seem excited at the prospect of a sweet treat. Eren sighed and kissed the boy's forehead before heading outside.

The boy lasted all of seven minutes before he found himself standing outside the master bedroom. He tentatively reached for the knob but pulled his hand back quickly, remembering what his daddy had told him. Papa wanted to be alone. But had Papa himself said that? The boy went for the knob a second time before rushing into his own room, grabbing his stuffed Titan toy, and coming back to the door. With a steadying breath, the boy opened the master bedroom door and walked inside.

"…Papa?"

Levi shot up in bed, turned, and stared down at the little boy, who looked as if he were expecting a scolding at any second.

Levi looked like a mess. His hair stuck to his forehead awkwardly, and the bags under his eyes were more obvious. For someone lying in bed for a week, he looked like he hadn't slept much. And the boy staring at him was truly scared, because the papa he knew had so much pride and such a love of cleanliness. Whatever had happened must have truly been horrible.

"Are you…okay, Papa?" he asked quietly, voice shaking slightly. "Did something bad happen? Did someone…say something mean or sad to you?" He clutched the stuffed toy in his arms momentarily before holding it out towards Levi. "Do you…wanna hug my toy? It makes me feel better when I'm sad. You said it would protect me, right? So maybe it can protect you for a while?" He placed the toy on the bed and stepped back, waiting to see how his papa would react.

Levi, eyes wide and breathing shallow, slowly and gently picked the toy up and stared at it. After a moment, his gaze shifted towards his son. He felt his breath hitch when he met those big, beautiful, green eyes on the edge of tears and full of concern. And, for the first time in a week, Levi felt life flood into his entire being.

_"Peek-a-boo!"_

_A flurry of giggles erupted from the baby sitting in Levi's lap._

_Eren covered his eyes again, waited a few seconds, and then revealed himself. "Peek-a-boo!"_

_The baby downright squealed and fell backwards against Levi's chest, laughing hysterically and clapping his little hands together quickly._

_Eren grinned and leaned back, supporting himself on his palms. "Oh man, he loves that. I've never heard him laugh this much." He looked up at Levi, the dark-haired man pressing a hand against his mouth and futilely trying to hold back his amusement._

_"It's so stupid," he managed between spurts of laughter. "This is the stupidest game ever, but he loves it so much. Why?" A genuine laugh escaped his lips, and Eren burned that sound into his mind. He'd save that image forever, too, of his beloved husband and infant son laughing together._

* * *

_"So we graduate from milk to baby food today, huh?"_

_Levi slipped an apron over his head and then tied it tightly around his waist. "Yup, he's old enough. He can properly sit in a high chair, too, so we might as well start." He loosely tied a bib around the baby's neck and opened a jar of mashed peas._

_A thought suddenly struck Eren. "Hey, want me to do it?" he offered. "We don't know how he's going to react to this new food; he might make a mess."_

_Levi shook his head. "I've been feeding this kid for months without much incident. I think I can handle it." He rolled his eyes and dipped the small spoon into the jar and took out just enough so the boy could taste its contents. "C'mon, baby, open up. Time to eat." After a pause, he sighed and said, "C'mon, it's the food and you're the hunter. Nom nom nom."_

_After another short pause, the baby finally opened his mouth. Breathing a small sigh of relief, Levi gently placed the spoon near his lips and tilted it upwards slightly so the mashed vegetables slowly dripped down. Thankfully, the baby didn't spit the offering out. Instead, he actually smiled and smacked his hands against the high chair tray._

_"Well, at least we know that he likes mashed peas," Eren said, smiling at the boy's reaction._

_Satisfied, Levi took a slightly bigger spoonful out of the jar and fed it to his son. Mealtime continued on peacefully, and, aside from the occasional spilling from the corners of the boy's mouth and a little bit of drool, it wasn't even that messy. Levi scooped up the last of the jar's contents into a hearty spoonful and fed it to his son, thankful that the first "real food" mealtime had been a success._

_So of course the baby had to sneeze and spit that last spoonful all over Levi's face._

_Eren burst out laughing and doubled over, hanging onto the side of the counter for support with one hand and clutching his stomach with the other. The baby laughed along with him, highly amused at the clumps of mashed peas splattered against Levi's cheeks and running down his hair. Levi sat in utter shock at what had just happened. The apron hadn't caught a single bit of the blast._

_That wasn't the last time it happened either._

* * *

_Having a crawling baby in the house was one thing. Despite the fact that he could move on his own, the baby wasn't very fast, so he was easy enough to keep up with. Having a baby who was tired of crawling and just wanted to walk already was another. Every time he tried to pull himself to his feet, he fell, and, if he tried and failed enough, the tears would begin._

_Today was no different. This was the fifth time in the last few minutes the boy had tried to stand on his own, only to come crashing down again. Eren sat across from him on the floor, and his heart broke as the baby looked up at him with big, sad eyes. In moments, the tears started falling._

_"Aw, it's okay, sweetie, don't cry," Eren tried to comfort him, pulling him into his lap and kissing the top of his head. "I know, I know, you wanna walk with Papa and me, but I don't think your little legs are ready yet. And you know what? Papa and I will still love you even if you never learn how to walk." He gently rubbed the baby's back, and the tears dissolved into hiccups._

_Levi walked into the room just as the boy was calming down. "Hmm, no progress yet?" he asked, only for Eren to shake his head. Levi sighed and knelt down across from them. "Give him to me." He held his arms out, and Eren passed their son on to him._

_"Papa…" the boy whimpered as he settled in Levi's arms._

_"I wonder if you'll want to be a soldier," Levi mused aloud. "You're taking after Daddy in the stubbornness and determination departments, at least in regards to walking, so it's possible you might. Then you'll learn how to fly. Trust me, walking will get boring if you do."_

_Eren frowned at that, suddenly understanding his mother's feelings against him becoming a soldier._

_"Well, for now, we can at least help you stand." With that, Levi straightened the baby up, holding onto him just enough so that he stayed upright but loosely enough so that his feet were flat on the floor. His heart felt warm as he heard a giggle replace his son's hiccups. But this was enough growing up for one day._

* * *

_"Papa, why do I hafta sleep here?"_

_"This is your new bed," Levi explained as he handed his son his favorite plush toy and tucked the sheets around them. "It's a big kid bed because you're a big kid now. You don't fit in your crib anymore." He frowned when the boy clutched the toy close and wiggled away from the edge._

_"What's the matter?" Eren asked, kneeling down next to the bed. "Are you afraid you're gonna fall out?"_

_The boy nodded._

_Levi stood and went to the closet, pulling several spare blankets and pillows out. He then returned to his son's room and laid them out on the floor next to the bed. "Here," he said, "if you do fall out, you'll have something soft to land on. Try to stay still. Don't move around too much and you should be fine."_

_The boy looked up at him with big, still slightly nervous eyes. "Okay…"_

_Levi knelt back down next to his son and gently stroked his hair, silently reassuring him that he'd be okay. The child slowly relaxed, but he still hugged his toy impossibly closer. Levi knew that falling out of his new bed wasn't the boy's only fear. Change wasn't always easy for a child, but it was for the best. His son was growing up, and he needed to learn to accept the changes that came with it._

_But that didn't mean that Levi couldn't comfort his baby. He sang the boy a lullaby that night, and it was sweet and soft enough for the boy to fall asleep and stay asleep without incident throughout the night._

Levi stared at his son as the memories flew through his mind. All the happiness, all the sadness, all the highs and lows throughout their lives together flashed before his eyes, and heat started to prickle across the back of his neck. He suddenly felt like he could pass out at any moment.

_What the hell am I doing?_ he thought.  _What the hell is wrong with me? Why have I been lying here feeling sorry for myself for a week? I've seen dozens of gruesome deaths throughout my life, and THIS is what makes me lose it? Mourning a life that never even existed? What the HELL is wrong with me? What the hell is my PROBLEM? I have a husband, a brat of a husband who sucks at cleaning and mixes up medicine jars and would probably burn the house down if I left him alone long enough, but I love him. I love him and I need him. And I have a son. I ALREADY HAVE A CHILD. He may be growing up fast, but he won't just wake up one morning as an adult. What the hell, I have so many more years to look forward to with him._

Levi set the toy down on the bed, reached down, and pulled his son into his arms. The boy immediately hugged him back, both holding on for dear life. "Papa…"

"I'm so sorry, baby," Levi whispered. "I'm so, so sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" He continued on like this, repeating the same line until he released a shaky sigh and said, "I've been horrible to you and Daddy. I'm the worst. Really, I'm so sorry."

_I'm so disgustingly filthy._

They heard the front door open downstairs followed by Eren's voice. Still holding on their son, Levi got out of bed for the first time in a week, uncaring of his haggard appearance, and headed downstairs on shaky legs. When Eren saw the two of them, he began to ask dozens of questions, but Levi silenced him by gently falling against his chest. He didn't even care than Eren was still wearing his wet rain cloak or that he hadn't taken off his muddy boots yet. The little Jaeger family just stood there in the front hallway of their home, Levi repeatedly whispering, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Outside, the rain finally stopped.

* * *

Another week later, Erwin received a peculiar letter among his usual messages.

_Erwin-_

_This isn't easy for me to write, but Eren and I received some less than happy news about two weeks ago. The damn four eyes suddenly decided to inform us that we are unable to conceive a second child. Go to her if you want answers because I don't feel like explaining it._

_But that isn't the point of this letter. When I last visited you, you told me that you would work behind the scenes to help Eren and me protect our son. As thankful as I am for this offer, I want to ask you a favor. Protecting one child is good, but we can do so much more._

_You said that you could order Nile to keep an eye on his branch of the Military Police. Put the bastard and his band of lazyasses to work for real. Get the good for nothing Garrison in on this, too. Make them earn their bread and booze._

_Go down to the Underground and rescue every single sick, abandoned, orphaned, or whatever child from there. Every single one of them. Leave the murderers and thieves and thugs. They'll die out eventually. No, focus on saving the children. Bring them all above ground. Make the Military Police and Garrison find homes for them. There's an apprentice midwife named Zita located in Zhiganshina who can probably tell you about all the families also unable to conceive, be they infertile, elderly, single, homosexual, I don't care. If no families want a kid, place them in military custody. When they're old enough, they can join the trainees. It's better than dying underground. If Nile and his goons complain and start going on about how they serve the King, remind them that a king is nothing without his people, and, no matter how physically or mentally ill, every child is a person. If the Military Police wants to serve the King, they'll serve the people._

_What good is humanity's freedom if some of humanity is stuck underground? I want this generation to be the last one that calls that hell home._

_Please do this for me, my friend._

_Levi_

_P.S. Tell Nile to shave or something. His beard still sucks._

Erwin grinned and leaned back in his chair, looking out his office window at the bright, sunny day. "Oh, Levi," he sighed, "will there ever be a day when you cease to amaze me?"


	34. Eren Story

_"Levi, Levi, Levi, what a disappointment you are."_

_No, I'm not._

_"You can't even do the bare minimum of what's expected of you."_

_I do everything I can._

_"Do you even remember anything I taught you?"_

_I've tried to suppress all my memories of you._

_"I don't know why that idiotic brat stays with you."_

_Shut up, I'm the only one allowed to call Eren a brat._

_"And YOU'RE a selfish, spoiled brat nowadays, too."_

_There's nothing wrong with demanding quality._

_"You won't even let me…"_

_GET AWAY FROM HIM._

_"…see my cute grandson."_

_STOP IT!_

_"Levi…Levi…"_

"Levi!"

Levi's eyes flooded with light as soon as they snapped open. He thought that he felt pain at the sudden bright burst, but he was too frozen in place to think too much of it. Slowly the world came into focus. He was lying on something soft…okay, that was his bed. He could recognize the sheets, mattress, and pillows. Above him was a well-put together ceiling. Connected to that were four walls, right? One, two, three, yup, all four were there. He was lying in his bed in his bedroom in his house in Zhiganshina, which was part of Wall Maria. And that was Eren looking down at him. Right, that was his beloved husband with whom he shared all this.

Eren's face was tense until Levi started breathing normally, then it softened. He gently brushed Levi's cheek with his fingers and said in a calming, pleasant voice, "You sounded like you were having a nightmare."

Levi's voice was slightly shaky. "I was."

Eren frowned and leaned forward to kiss his husband's forehead. "It's okay," he said, "it wasn't real. You're safe, I'm safe, everyone is safe." He paused and then said, "Do you want to tell me what happened?"

_The serial killer who raised me and turned me into the disgusting garbage I am today came back from the dead and tortured me with his words and fists and then blew our son into a million pieces with his anti-human guns._

"Not really."

Eren nodded and kissed Levi's forehead again. "Okay, whatever makes you feel better."

_I really don't think I deserve to feel better._

"Thanks."

Eren smiled and moved down to Levi's lips, which he kissed lovingly. Levi kissed back and the kisses were soft at first, purely affectionate. Eren then set a slightly more passionate pace, but that only lasted for a few seconds. He momentarily pulled away to catch his breath, and that was when Levi said, "We have company."

Eren knew what he meant. They were both facing away from the door, but they heard it creak slightly. Eren pulled himself away and got up, and the door closed as soon as he did. He stood in front of it for just a moment, turned back to wink at Levi, and then quickly opened the door and grabbed the little devil standing just outside. His son squealed loudly and kicked his little legs wildly as Eren began his cuddly assault. The squealing quickly turned into giggles, and the boy shouted, "Papa! It's a Tickle Titan surprise attack!"

"OH GOD, NO," Levi declared, hoisting the bedsheets above his head. "You're on your own, Soldier Jaeger, it's the Captain's day off."

"NOOOOOOOO!" the boy cried out, laughing hysterically as Eren carried him into the bedroom, kissing wherever he could before unceremoniously dumping him on the bed next to his papa. The boy took a moment to catch his breath, still giggling somewhat, and then pulled the sheets off Levi's head. "Attack's over, Papa, the Tickle Titan got through the Walls."

Levi sighed heavily. "Oh well, might as well make friends, huh? Not like he's leaving any time soon. Maybe we can train him to clean."

Eren grinned. "Don't worry, this Titan comes fully trained! Be right back." And he headed downstairs.

Levi rolled his eyes. "What's that ridiculous daddy of yours up to?"

His question was answered about a minute later, when Eren came rushing back upstairs into their room with a tray in his hands. "Ta-da! Breakfast in bed!"

Levi sat up, eyes wide with both horror and curiosity. "Wait, what? When did you…?"

"Just now. I thought I'd do something nice for you since you had a nightmare."

"Papa had a nightmare?!"

"It's okay, baby, I'm fine. Eren, are you serious? I am not sleeping in a pile of crumbs toni—!" Levi stopped short when he saw the sad eyes his husband and son were giving him. Crap, crap, crap, those big, beautiful, green eyes were irresistible! Levi groaned loudly and leaned back against the bed's headboard. "Fine," he sighed, prompting gleeful looks from his family, "guess we're doing laundry today."

* * *

_Why is Eren so wonderful to me when I clearly don't deserve it?_

_I'm torn on when Eren and I actually met. I saw him that one early evening in Trost, when the Survey Corps had just returned to Wall Rose due to the emergency there. I saw him but I didn't know who he was or what that Titan carcass in front of the boulder at the gate was or what the hell was even going on. It wasn't until the Military Police finally let us see him days later that I got a good look at him. Our gazes met and I told Erwin that I would look after him despite not trusting him._

_That was a lie. I trusted him. From the moment I looked into his eyes, I trusted him. He had a good look on his face, one of determination and sincerity, and his eyes told me that he would never look back after making a decision. I liked that. We needed more people with that kind of resolve in the Survey Corps._

_But I had also never seen eyes so vibrantly green before. I hadn't known that such a green existed._

_I like to skip over the next part, but it still boggles my mind that Eren didn't resent me for beating the ever-loving crap out of him in that courtroom. When he told me that he understood why I had needed to do it, my heart felt light. It wasn't because I was in love with him though, as I didn't truly fall in love until much later, but I was overjoyed that I didn't have to add him to the list of people who hated me._

_That was also a lie. I was in love with him at the time. Whenever people ask, he says that we fell in love slowly. Maybe he did. Maybe his love started out as hero worship and eventually evolved into true love, but I fell in love the moment I looked into his eyes in that jail cell underneath the courthouse. I just didn't know it. Or maybe I did and just didn't admit it to myself, perhaps out of pride or because the situation at hand was more pressing or because I told myself I didn't deserve him. I couldn't have him anyway. Even if we both had been unimportant civilians, I still couldn't have had him. I was in my thirties at the time. I was a grown-ass man, and he was a baby in comparison. He was fifteen at the time, just beginning to hit puberty. I couldn't have him, and I would never have him. I kept telling myself this, but I wanted him. I wanted him so badly it hurt._

_So on that horrible day when I thought he had died, all my feelings and everything I had been thinking came rushing to the front of my mind._

_Damn that ape._

_I was badly injured. Blood was rushing down my face, ugly bruises were already forming on my back and near my hips, my left ankle was twisted, and my vision was hazy at best. But I still got up. I got up and ran as fast as I could to the steaming Titan lying in that field. Did the rest of the world even exist in that moment? I'm not sure, as I only focused on how Eren wasn't crawling out of his Titan._

_Somewhere in the chaos of all this, Mikasa and Armin appeared, and all three of us had to cut him out. Most of him had fused with the Titan's flesh, so, when we finally got him out, both of his arms and legs were gone, and his torso and head looked as if some sort of parasite had eaten away at them. This imagine still haunts me today._

_Everything else happened so quickly. I was the first one to say "I love you." At least I think I was. Mikasa, Armin, and I barely left his bedside in the hospital. Neither one of them questioned why I was there, and I was grateful. It's disgustingly selfish of me, but I was so happy that Eren woke up while the two of them were out. I was the first person he saw, and I barely gave him any time to think before I said those three words._

_It truly was a whirlwind romance several years in the making. Immediately after Eren turned eighteen, we moved into our own house in Zhiganshina together, and we got married on June 10th, barely two and a half months later. Being newlyweds was incredible. It almost felt like my wish to have Eren all to myself came true, as we spent nearly every moment, both awake and asleep, together. At times it even felt like there were no Walls surrounding us or even that we had no neighbors. It was just me and the brat, who wasn't so much of a brat anymore. The fact that Eren had grown into a 6'5" man with a strong jaw, nicely developed muscles, and somewhat grown out hair certainly was a nice perk._

_So when I discovered that I was pregnant with his baby about two years later, a million thoughts ran through my mind about how I had more of Eren to love and how I could finally give him something in return for all that he had given me._

_It was hell. A painful, disgusting hell. I had never been so sick in my entire life. Not even the sewer water I had been forced to drink as a child had ever made me so ill. I don't know if knowing now why I was so sick makes it better or worse, but, even at the time, I knew that there was a reason why I was sick. It wasn't like it was pointless. My body was changing and adapting so it could safely give birth to Eren's child, and that helped me get through those hellish months. Eren, too. He doesn't realize how much he helped me. He was there by my side at all hours, cooking multiple versions of whatever I had a chance of keeping down, cleaning up after me every time I got sick (yes, EVERY time), carrying me and helping me when I was too weak to even take a damn bath on my own, massaging my feet, back, and shoulders when my stomach started to grow, and telling me that he loved me. That was the kicker. Every single time he did something for me, he told me that he loved me and that he would do anything for me, that I could do anything to him and he'd still love me. Labor was the worst physical pain I've ever experienced, and, even when I damn near ripped Eren's hand off, he still told me that he loved me (and that it was okay if I ripped his hand off because, hell, it would just grow back). I thought to myself, "What did I do to deserve someone so perfect?"_

_And then I realized that I didn't and still don't deserve him._

_I have a theory about the relationship between the sun and the moon. When one disappears, the other one comes out, but where does the first one go? It must look out over the rest of the world, meaning that the world beyond these Walls must be massive, bigger than any territory that could ever fit inside any wall. The sun goes and spreads its warmth over another part of the world, while the moon comes out to watch over us while we sleep. But then, why does the moon shine? Why does it not shine as brightly as the sun? The sun must never truly disappear, and its light must reflect off the moon, making it only look like it shines._

_Eren and I are the same way. He's so big and bright and full of life. He radiates warmth and happiness. Even his looks are sunny, with his bronze skin and jewel tone eyes. He smiles so easily despite all the pain he's known, and I'm glad that people are awake to experience it. He's my sun. His light reflects off me, so I only look like I shine. And, even if I look like I shine, it's never as brightly as he. I'm pale and stiff with harsh, narrow eyes and inky black hair. I don't radiate anything. I'm cold and barren like the moon. And, just like how people are asleep whenever the moon is out, people shouldn't see me. Eren should upstage me every time, because any light that I have is a lie. It's only because of my sun that I look like I have any life at all._

_I try so hard to make it up to him for giving me some of his light. I cook. I clean. I gave birth to his child. But is that enough? Will it ever be enough?_

_I can't even give him another baby to love._

_Eren is in his twenties. He's in the prime of his life. He should be with a young, gorgeous woman who can give him a big family. I don't know why he wastes his time with me. Me, an old man who can't give him anything and yet selfishly hangs onto him. I don't know what I'd do without him. I don't think I could live without Eren now that I know his love. He's my sun. He's the only reason I look like I shine._

_It would be so easy for me to wallow in this misery, and, for a while, I did. I laid in our bed for a week thinking about everything I didn't deserve. How dare I, a thug, a thief, a murderer, a piece of trash from the underground, think that it was okay for me to have any happiness?_

_And then my son walked into the room._

_And I realized that one choice had already been made for me, but there was another choice I had the power to make._

_I could lie there in bed feeling sorry for myself and wishing for death, or I could be the best husband and parent I could possibly be to the people I loved most. I could work on paying Eren back for all he's done for me, and I could raise our son with nothing but love into a great man. I could make that choice. I had that power. I even had the power to bring love into the lives of so many other people._

_But I'm still the filthiest, most selfish crap that ever existed._

_When the time comes, please let me die first so I never again have to live in a world without Eren Jaeger. The world was so ugly before he was born, and now that I've seen how beautiful it is with him, I can't bear to think about a world without him. Don't let him die soon after me. The world needs as much of him as it can possibly get. I'll wait patiently, only hoping that we can be together in our next lives._

_Our son will cry. I know he will. But I can only hope that he inherited enough of Eren. I hope that he's more like Eren, spreading his own bright light as the world watches. He must be a sun, and I hope that the world quietly forgets about me. There will be no moons among future Jaegers._

_Please allow me this one last selfish wish._

* * *

"Levi?"

Levi looked up from buttering a piece of bread and smiled softly. "I'm fine," he said, "just lost in thought." He popped the bread in his mouth and ripped another small piece off a roll. "Want me to butter a piece for you, baby?"

"Yes, please!" the boy replied before taking a long gulp of his juice.

Eren finished pouring the tea and set one cup in front of Levi. "Here you go, I hope it's okay."

Levi passed the bread piece to their son and took a sip of the hot tea. He looked at it thoughtfully and then took another sip. He shrugged. "Not bad."

"Yes, I did it!" Eren cheered. "I made tea that didn't suck!"

Levi's smile widened slightly, and he leaned back against the bed headboard, teacup in hand. He sipped at the hot liquid slowly, savoring its taste and soaking up the moment. Next to him, Eren sliced an apple into equal pieces and set on a plate to share. Their son munched on his bread. If the joy Levi felt at that moment meant washing crumbs out of the sheets, it was worth it. He glanced out the nearby window at the gorgeously sunny day outside and sighed quietly. How beautiful everything was.

"Papa?"

Levi looked at his son. "Hmm? What is it, baby?"

The boy smiled cheerfully. "I like this better than when you were in here by yourself. I'm really happy."

Levi smiled back at him, a tinge of sadness in his expression.

"I am, too, baby, I am, too."


	35. Nightmare Story, Part 1

_A little less than a year ago, I had a nightmare._

_It was dark and I was alone. No Papa. No Daddy. No nobody. No matter where or how long I ran, I couldn't find anyone, and I couldn't find any light. I had no idea where I was either. I remember crying and screaming out for my daddy and papa, but neither one answered. In fact, my voice echoed in the silence._

_Finally, I heard a familiar voice call out to me: Papa's! I followed his voice and soon found him waving at me. He was standing in the darkness with Daddy, and he bent down to give me a hug and tell me that everything was going to be alright. Even though I was still scared, it wasn't so bad because I was at least with them. They would keep me safe._

_Or so I thought._

_Daddy had been silent the whole time, his face hidden in the darkness. When I looked up and tried to talk to him, he grinned._

_And then a Titan exploded from his body and roared louder than anything I've ever heard. I was too scared to scream at first, frozen in place in Papa's arms._

_Papa didn't have time to react. The Titan, with its huge mouth and giant teeth, crashed its face into the ground and ate Papa right in front of me._

_That was when I did scream. I screamed and cried and tried to run away. I woke up just as the Titan was about to close its mouth around me._

_For a few minutes, I sat in my bed and panted and held onto my plush toy. It was a little scary because the Titan in my nightmare sorta looked like my toy, but my toy was a friendly Titan who gave good hugs and would never try to eat me or Papa or anyone. Besides, Papa and Daddy had told me that it would always protect me, so I figured that it was safe._

_But I was still scared. The nightmare had felt so real, and, to make things worse, Daddy was out of the house for the night with his friends. It was just Papa and me, and Papa normally wasn't the one who cheered me up when I was sad, but I was so scared that I ran to his and Daddy's room anyway. Papa didn't yell at me for waking him. He just picked me up and hugged me and told me a happy bedtime story about a fighter and a good monster. I think I fell asleep before he finished the story, so I don't know how it ended, but it must have been happy._

_At least I hope it was._

_That nightmare was just a bad dream, right? It wasn't real…right?_

* * *

Levi walked back into the master bedroom after his morning shower to find Eren sitting up and stretching in bed. Dressed in his gray button down and white pants, Levi headed to his husband's side and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Good morning, happy anniversary," he said unusually sweetly, prompting Eren to turn towards him for a proper, more passionate kiss.

When they pulled apart, Eren smiled. "Happy anniversary, what a way to wake up." His hand travelled from Levi's shoulder, up to his cheek, and down to the first button on his shirt. "Only way it would be better is if these annoying buttons were undone."

Levi rolled his eyes and gently smacked the side of Eren's head. "Shut the hell up before I make you sleep on the couch tonight."

"Noooo," Eren whined, resting his head on Levi's shoulder, "then how would I possibly get my anniversary loving tonight~?"

Levi smacked the side of his head a little harder. "Get your lazy ass out of bed and pull yourself together. We have an outside world to see."

That got Eren going. He jumped up, quickly made the bed, and rushed to the bathroom to clean himself up. He did so in record time and raced back into the bedroom to put his uniform on. Levi was still buckling his belts by the time Eren was all dressed. Shaking his head, Levi started tying his cravat around his neck. He watched Eren come up to him in the mirror and wrap his arms around him from behind.

"I still love you, you know," Eren murmured in a gentle yet firm voice, kissing the top of Levi's head. "I loved you when we moved in together, I loved you when we got married, I loved you when we found out you were pregnant, I loved you the entire time you were pregnant, I loved you when you gave birth to our son, and I still love you now, regardless of anything and everything." He kissed the top of Levi's head again and pulled the shorter man closer.

The cravat suddenly felt tight around Levi's neck. He made no move to resist Eren's hold, and all his comments died in his throat. He shifted his gaze so he didn't have to look at his husband, and, no, he was not tearing up, dammit.

Eren offered a sweet smile and kissed Levi's head one more time. "I just wanted to remind you of that."

"Yeah, yeah," Levi replied, finding his voice and trying to sound as much like his usual self as possible, "good thing. The rings say, 'Until The Stars Fall,' so you're stuck with me until then."

Eren laughed. "Doesn't sound like much of a problem." He then pulled away so Levi could finish getting dressed.

_When did the brat learn to say the right thing at the right time? He was never this good with words._ Levi thought as he slipped his jacket on.  _Damn…I don't deserve someone so perfect._

"By the way," Eren said, interrupting Levi's thoughts, "did Erwin ever get back to you about that letter?"

Levi sighed heavily. "Erwin is powerful but he's still only the Deputy Supreme Commander. I thought that he'd be able to approve that request, but it has to go through Zackley."

"What!" Eren exclaimed, voice full of disappointment.

"Yeah, this sucks," Levi agreed, turning to his husband. "The only thing we can do now is wait. I don't agree with every decision Zackley's ever made, but the nice thing is that he bases all his decisions on whether on not they'll help humanity. I wrote my thoughts in the letter, so I'm leaving the rest to Erwin. I've been able to sway Zackley's decision before, but Erwin holds much more political power than I do. I'm pretty sure that Zackley likes Erwin more than me, too. I know that soldiers and civilians certainly do. The problem is that, for some people, 'humanity' means 'the people above ground.' Lots of people don't give a crap about the people underground, so it depends on what Zackley thinks. At least it doesn't have to go through the King, then we'd REALLY be screwed."

Eren nodded. "I think what you wrote is pretty convincing. Seriously, what good is humanity's freedom if an entire population is left out? Besides, like you said, you've been able to influence Zackley before. You did it and saved my life!"

"Eren…"

"Alright, we won't talk about that." The younger grinned and headed into the hallway. "I'm gonna get the little one up and ready to go. Meet you downstairs for breakfast."

* * *

After a hearty meal that would last throughout the day, the Jaeger family made its way towards the large gate that separated Zhiganshina from the outside world. Once the Survey Corps had secured Wall Maria from the Titans, the Garrison and other laborers had been able to come in and reconstruct the gate (with a little help from Eren's Titan form). Now it looked like nothing had ever happened.

The Garrison soldiers guarding the gate spotted them first. "Good morning, Lance Corporal Levi Jaeger! Soldier Eren Jaeger!" one of them shouted, saluting the higher ranking officers.

"I'm here, too!" the littlest Jaeger announced, holding his hand up. He was dressed in his playtime soldier outfit, as he had wanted to match his parents. The Garrison soldier giggled and saluted at him as well.

"At ease," Eren replied, a friendly smile on his face. "Good morning, everyone. How's it look out there?"

"No Titans visible from the top of the Wall, Sir," another soldier replied. "Garrison and Military Police squads did a scout of the immediate area early this morning and found no threats. You probably have a good ten kilometers, but horses are still recommended in case you run into trouble."

"Especially with the little soldier joining you!" the first Garrison soldier added.

Eren nodded. "Thank you. Prepare to open the gate!"

The Garrison soldiers saluted again and then ran off to perform their assigned task. Another Garrison soldier guided Eren and Levi to where their horses were waiting. Levi mounted his first, carefully settling his son in front of him. "Hang on tightly to the reigns at all times," he instructed. "I'll hang onto you, too, but you need to keep yourself safe as well. You should learn how to ride a horse anyway."

Once the family was set, the Garrison soldiers confirmed that they were ready to go. With the command, the gate started to rise, and, inch by incredible inch, the outside world appeared. A huge grin split Eren's face, and Levi couldn't help the smile that found its way onto his, especially when he saw the look of awe on their son's face. When the gate finished rising, the Jaegers sped off, completely forgetting about the walled cities behind them.

"No matter how many times I go out here, it's still amazing!" Eren exclaimed, shifting all his weight to his feet so he could rise off the seat and go faster.

Levi wasn't about to let him take the lead. "Hang on tight, baby!" he called out with more enthusiasm than Eren and their son had ever heard from him as he commanded his horse to gallop. The boy in Levi's lap squealed something absolutely precious as he tried to take the whole scene in. There was just so much to see! The sky and land went on and on without a single wall in sight. Animals fed on and ran through overgrown bushes and trees. Sure, most of it looked similar to the land inside the Walls, but knowing that no wall would block them from exploring made it that much more exciting.

_It's all out there,_ the boy thought as he felt the wind rush by his face and through his hair.  _The forests where it rains all the time. The mountains that shoot out fire water. The land made from ice. The fields of sand. The big holes with all the pretty rocks. And the ocean! Every single one of those things is out there waiting for us!_ He leaned forward, opened his mouth, and shouted, "Just you wait, world! We're gonna explore all of you no matter what!"

* * *

Eren leaned against the trunk of a large tree while Levi and their son sat in the tree's plentiful shade. They had been in the outside world for a few hours, and they couldn't see the Walls anymore. However, no Titans had been spotted the entire time, so the Garrison and Military Police reports had at least been accurate so far.

Eren took a long swig of water from a canteen and smiled. "It honestly feels like we could keep going on forever. Oh god, it's so beautiful. It's more beautiful than I could ever dream."

Levi gave him a small smile, and they passed the canteen to their son. The boy had tired significantly since leaving the Walls. The ride through the outside world had been overwhelming to the point of exhaustion; there was just so much to see! And this was farther than he had ever been. The last time he had been outside, when Connie had proposed to Sasha, the Walls had still been in sight. Not seeing them now made the boy slightly nervous, but he figured that he had nothing to worry about. His daddy and papa would protect him, of course, but part of him never wanted to leave. After this rest, the ride back towards the Walls would begin, and the dream would be over.

"Eren," Levi said, standing and walking to his husband. Their son watched as Levi gently took Eren's face in his hands and brought the man down for a kiss. The child squealed quietly. He couldn't help it, he just loved seeing his parents in love.

Levi pulled away just enough so he could catch his breath and rest his forehead against Eren's. "Happy Anniversary," he whispered. The two smiled and dove back in for another kiss.

_Thump._

They pulled apart with a gasp.

_Thump. Thump._

They looked up.

_Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump._

"No…"

_THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP THUMP_

"OH MY GOD, GET ON THE HORSE! GET ON THE HORSE!" Eren cried as he pushed Levi towards where the horses were tied up. Levi grabbed their son and forced the boy's head down to his shoulder so he couldn't see the horde of Titans charging towards them. Eren untied both their horses, and they mounted them in record time.

But Levi noticed that he could hear hoofbeats before his horse even moved. The sound was faint, but it was steadily increasing in volume. He looked back quickly and gasped, eyes widening in horror. "Eren!" he shouted just as his husband was about to start off, "there are people leading the Titans this way!"

Eren looked back and saw that his husband was not joking. Several people were on horseback in front of the Titans, guiding the Titans straight towards them. Part of Eren's mind told him to confront the people, but the other, more dominant part, told him to get away as quickly as possible. He and Levi shared a momentary glance before they sped off back towards the Walls, their son's head still buried in Levi's shoulder. They couldn't hear his whimpers over the sound of the galloping horses.

"Who the hell are they?!" Eren called. "How did they find us?!"

Levi made sure his son's head was still down before turning around. The Titans were getting closer, and the people were starting to become more visible. He squinted at first, trying to focus on if he could make out anything particular about anybody, but then his eyes shot open. "It's the Military Police!" he shouted back. "They must be the faction associated with the religious conservatives!"

Eren looked back as well, eyes widening when he saw the backs of the soldiers' cloaks flapping in the wind. Yes, those were definitely unicorn symbols. "How are they out here? How did they find us?!" Eren switched his gaze forward and prompted his horse to go faster.

Levi followed suit and thought about all the possibilities and explanations. "This morning…the Garrison said that their reports and Military Police reports confirmed that there were no Titans in the area. Did the Military Police give those reports to the Garrison to deliver and then sneak back over the Wall? They would have had plenty of time to go out much further than we did. They could have found Titans and then led them back towards Zhiganshina, knowing that we'd leave from there."

"But I thought Erwin said he'd keep an eye on them for us!" Eren shot back. "Doesn't he have authority over Nile?"

A thought suddenly struck Levi. "What if…it's not the Military Police?"

"What?!"

"They must be from the Central Military Police! Nile has no authority over them. Neither does Erwin! Hell, ZACKLEY doesn't have any power over them!"

Tears started forming in the corners of Eren's eyes. "Are you telling me that the king assigned them to this mission?!"

"I don't know, Eren, I don't freakin' know!"

Suddenly Levi heard something that sounded like 3D Maneuver Gear behind them. The Military Police soldiers had reached the area with the trees where he and his family had just been resting. Making sure he had a good hold on his son, he snapped the reigns, and the horse picked up speed. Eren copied the action.

_BANG!_

Levi's horse jerked to the side, startled by the sudden explosion. Levi turned his head around in terror, knowing exactly what kind of gun had just been fired. He would NEVER forget that sound.

_"You won't even let me…see my cute grandson."_

"EREN!" he screamed, surprising his husband. He was noticeably starting to lose his cool, and panic was creeping into his entire being. It scared Eren, seeing Levi so out of his usual character. "This is HIS legacy. They're HIS followers, not normal Military Police soldiers. THEY HAVE HIS ANTI-HUMAN 3D MANEUVER GEAR!"

The gunshots continued as the soldiers made their way forward. Gear was faster than horses, so, while Eren and Levi would have been able to outrun the Titans, the soldiers were another story. Eren looked at his son protectively held in Levi's grasp. The poor boy was clutching his papa so hard his knuckles had turned white, and his eyes were tightly shut. Eren saw tears escaping from those eyes, and he felt a fire burn wildly within him. "YOU BASTARDS!" he shouted, turning towards the soldiers. "I'LL KILL EVERY SINGLE GODDAMN ONE OF YOU!"

He hoped that the Titans would turn their attention towards the soldiers, but he couldn't get a clear shot on controlling them.

The gunshots were getting closer and more accurate. Titans were gaining ground. The Walls weren't in sight yet.

Levi swallowed hard. "Eren."

The man turned.

Levi stared at him with a fierce intensity, yet his eyes were terrified. Hanging onto the last shred of composure he had, Levi moved his arm so it was covering as much of their son as possible, and he said, "Make it quick."

Eren's eyes widened but he didn't protest. He just nodded and jumped up, using his gear to propel him towards the Titans and the human suppression squad.

"Baby," Levi murmured and comfortingly as he could, "don't open your eyes."

There was a flash of light, and a loud, deep roar reverberated throughout the landscape.

The boy's eyes snapped open.

_"And then a Titan exploded from his body and roared louder than anything I've ever heard."_

"D…Daddy?"

The word knocked the air right out of Levi's lungs.

The boy stared in horror as the new Titan rushed towards the humans first. Their guns were mere mosquito bites compared to blades, and Eren didn't hesitate to grab them and smash them against the ground. They fell one by one, helpless against the Titan's giant hands. Then Eren moved on to the horde of Titans. This time, he could get a clear shot on controlling them. He grabbed onto one of them and let out another deafening roar. The rest of the Titans ganged up on the one he was holding, and he jumped away just as they began eating away at its flesh. Eren grabbed the feasting Titans, aiming for the back of their necks and ripping their heads right off.

His son sat frozen in Levi's grip, watching the hellish scene play out before him. Levi gripped the back of the boy's head and tried to push it down again, but, the moment he touched his son, the boy let out a high-pitched scream that left Levi's ears ringing.

"DADDY HURT PAPA! DADDY WAS THE TITAN THAT BIT PAPA!"

Levi gasped and forced the boy's head down. "No, he wasn't, baby! He wasn't! Daddy would never hurt me!"

The protest went ignored. The boy kept screaming all the way back to the Walls, even when the battle was over and Eren rejoined them as a human.


	36. Nightmare Story, Part 2

"Eren."

Eren turned.

"Walk in front so he doesn't see you if he looks up."

The look on Eren's face was pure hurt. Shame bubbled up within him as his gaze lingered on Levi for a moment before he turned forward and started walking. Behind him, desperately clutched in Levi's arms, his son screamed bloody murder. Previous words of betrayal had eventually turned into a garbled mess of screams and sobs. The boy had never cried this hard, had never sounded so inhuman before. He had been a relatively quiet baby and had been good with words from the moment he could speak. But now the volume of his shrieks reminded Levi of a Titan's cry. Maybe the child had inherited Eren's healthy lungs after all.

Back in Zhiganshina, the gate closed behind them, and Eren and Levi began the walk back to their home. The Garrison soldiers guarding the gate watched silently, wondering where the cheerful atmosphere of the morning had gone.

It seemed like all of humanity was out and about in Zhiganshina that afternoon. The roads were crowded, and the shops were full. Early June was a great time for fresh fruits and vegetables as well as a good supply of meat, so the market was hopping with activity. All of Eren's friends were out, too, happily going about their business.

It all came to a screeching halt when Eren and Levi passed through the area. Time seemed to stand still as they walked, and their house seemed to inch further and further away. Eren kept his head down, trying to hide from all of them while Levi's face matched the one he wore after coming back from the failed expedition against the Female Titan. Their son still wailed in Levi's arms, pounding his little fists against Levi's shoulder.

The silence broke when the murmurs started.

"I saw them heading for the gate this morning. They must have taken that child outside."

"Oh my god, what kind of parent puts their child in danger like that?"

"Poor kid must be traumatized."

"If that's not child abuse, it should be. They shouldn't be allowed to keep that kid."

"Those two never should have bred anyway. For all we know, the kid's a freak, too."

"Always knew the Survey Corps was full of crooks and murderers. Never thought it would stoop so low to use children as weapons."

"What if they took him outside to fight? What if they're training him to take over humanity one day?!"

"Why are you calling it 'him?' It's an 'it,' obviously. Don't treat it like a human."

Eren stopped short and glared at the crowd, rage boiling over shame. He went to scream when Levi swiftly pushed him from behind, causing him to trip forward.

"Ignore them. Just keep going."

Eren turned to shout at his husband until he saw Levi's face. The color had completely drained from it. His jaw was tense, and his eyes were darker than usual. They were wide open while the irises and pupils were very small, and Eren could see a slight tremble that travelled down to Levi's shoulders, where their son had buried his face and was now screaming into it.

Eyes watering, Eren turned forward and started walking again.

_Why the hell is everyone suddenly out?_ he asked himself.  _Oh, of course, NOW that horse-faced bastard is feeling sympathetic. I don't need your pity, you jerk._   _There's Armin and is that…? Oh god, don't look like that, Annie, you look like you're about to cry. Goddammit, we don't need your tears, too. This must look really bad if Bertholdt's holding Reiner's hand in public. I can see the sweat from here. Screw all three of you, you're all freaks, too. Freaks and SINNERS. Why am I treated like a criminal when YOU'RE just—! Oh my god, wipe that look off your face, Ymir. You're looking like you knew this would happen. Damn, Historia isn't even looking at us. And there's…oh yeah, Connie and Sasha's baby is due next month. They're gonna bring their own kid into this world._

_This cruel, merciless, unforgiving world._

Eren heard a third set of footsteps, this one right next to him.

"I'm walking you back to your house," Mikasa said firmly, looking every bit like the steadfast soldier she was. "I can guess what happened. There are Military Police and Survey Corps opponents in the area. I won't let any of them hurt you."

Any words died in Eren's throat. The tears in his eyes freely flowed as his sister wrapped an arm around him and led him and his family back home.

* * *

Screaming. The boy was still screaming.

"Do you need me to stay?" Mikasa asked as Eren followed Levi into the house. "Do you need anything?"

Eren shook his head. "No, thank you." He saw the worried look on her face and frowned. "I mean it, Mikasa, thank you so much. But—"

"No, I understand," she said, "just please try to rest, okay? Your breathing is erratic, and your legs are trembling slightly. Just how long were you in Titan form?"

Her nephew's screaming suddenly stopped.

"Not long," Eren replied, "but I fought a lot of Titans and had to control them while in Titan form."

Mikasa nodded. "That takes a lot of energy. Please try to rest."

"You knew…"

The three adults' attention immediately snapped to the child in Levi's arms. The boy was completely still for a few seconds before turning his head to stare at Mikasa. "You knew," he repeated, remaining still for another second before gagging and thrashing about wildly to the point that Levi had to put him down. The moment Levi did, the boy gagged again and threw up what little food was still in his stomach on the hallway floor.

The adults stood horrified and motionless as they watched the boy cough violently before heaving so hard he couldn't keep himself upright. He wobbled onto his elbows and dropped his head. After a moment of silence, he looked back up at the adults, face full of tears and saliva and vomit. "You knew," he said again, focusing on Mikasa. "If you knew, how many other people know?"

Mikasa swallowed hard, unsure of how to respond.

"Does everyone know?" the boy continued, voice high-pitched and quiet. "Do all our friends know? Uncle Armin and Aunt Annie and Uncle Reiner and Uncle Bertholdt and Uncle Jean and Uncle Connie and Aunt Sasha and Aunt Ymir and Aunt Historia? What about Uncle Erwin and Aunt Hanji? Wait…is that why Aunt Hanji won't hug me? Because she thinks I'm some Titan monster?"

Eren could barely form a sound to respond before his son started screaming again. "DON'T LIE TO ME! DON'T LIE TO ME, I'M NOT STUPID!"

Finally Eren could find it in himself to speak. "We don't think—!"

"YES, YOU DO, THAT'S WHY YOU LIED TO ME!" The boy stopped to cry for a few more seconds before saying, "But maybe I am. Maybe I am stupid. We played Tickle Titan together because you knew I was too stupid to figure out that you actually ARE a Titan…"

Levi found his voice at that. "Don't go spewing nonsense like that! We don't think like that at all!"

The boy stared straight back at him, and Levi actually flinched. Those big, beautiful, green irises that he loved so much were suddenly nothing more than little, black dots in the center of the boy's wide, pink, puffy eyes. They reminded Levi far too much of his own eyes. The dull, black hair riddled with knots and dirt and the mess on the boy's face forced Levi to remember a person he had never wanted to see in the first place and never wanted to see again, the very person he had always wanted to forget.

His son looked exactly like he had as a child.

"Is that why you could have me?" the boy asked, snapping Levi out of his terrible memories. "I've only seen mommies with babies inside their tummies, like Aunt Sasha. I've never seen a papa look like he was gonna have a baby…"

No one needed to say anything. The silence said it all.

"…I'm angry," the boy said, voice wavering as fresh tears spilled from his eyes. "I'm really angry."

Without another word, he ran upstairs to his room, slammed the door behind him, and started screaming again.

* * *

Mikasa left after that, knowing that her presence wouldn't help the situation. Eren thanked her one last time before she left, and she nodded in response. "Any time," she said before closing the front door and heading home.

Eren's legs finally gave out after that. Levi grabbed onto him and kept him upright the best he could, but it was uncomfortable for the 6'5" Eren to lean on the 5'3" Levi. "Let's get you to bed," Levi said, helping his husband up the stairs and into the master bedroom. Across the hall, they heard a loud wail.

Once Eren was set in bed, Levi rushed back downstairs to the front closet, grabbed something out of it, and came back upstairs. "Earmuffs," he said, securing them on Eren's head.

Eren placed a hand over Levi's and took it from the earmuffs to his lips. He kissed it once before Levi took it away and bent down he could kiss his husband's forehead. "Try to sleep," he said as he pulled away.

Eren grabbed his hand before he could go. "This is my worst nightmare," he said quietly as his eyes started to water. "I've had actual nightmares about this, about him finding out this way." The tears fell down his cheeks and disappeared into the pillow.

Levi gently tugged his hand away after a moment of stillness. "Try to sleep, Eren," he repeated, and he left the room.

As soon as he closed the bedroom door, Levi heard a loud crash come from the room across the hall. He winced, realizing that that was probably the rocking chair falling over. It took a moment for his legs to remember how to walk, and he slowly made his way downstairs.  _How did Kenny's followers end up being the Military Police squad that scouted the area for us this morning before we went out?_ he asked himself, and then he gasped loudly.  _At the market! We went out together after those underground thugs attacked us, and I mentioned that we were going to go outside the Walls for our anniversary. Then someone bumped into us and…!_

A brick of guilt dropped into Levi's stomach just as he reached the lower floor, and, looking at the mess his son had left, he suddenly felt like he was going to be sick, too. He somehow kept it all down though, and instead went to the hall closet to gather his cleaning supplies.

He worked through the mess slowly, but the mess eventually disappeared, and he put his supplies back in the closet. He took the bandana off his head and then headed into the living room. He knelt before the storage cabinet next to the couch and opened it, pulling out a box. Upon opening it, he pulled out its single treasure: the "accidental" photograph of he and Eren kissing lovingly while their week-old son watched on in curious amazement.

A few drops of clear liquid fell onto the framed photograph.

"Why can't…all our mistakes and problems…be as wonderful as this one?"

* * *

Silence.

_Where am I? What time is it?_ the boy lying face down in the middle of his trashed bedroom thought.  _It's dark so maybe it's nighttime. Then how long have I been lying here like this? I think I'm awake…did I ever sleep? I can't remember._

Pause.

_Maybe the day hasn't started yet. Maybe all that was just a nightmare._

Pause.

_But, if it was, why does my throat hurt so badly? Why am I so tired? Why does my face feel all sticky? Oh yeah, I was screaming a lot earlier. And then I threw up and kept screaming. And then I came up here and…_ He looked up and blinked a few times to let his eyes adjust. Slowly he began to sit up until he was on his knees and took in the scene before him. The sheets were torn off his bed. The rocking chair across from it was on its side and slammed up against the wall. All the dresser drawers were open, and clothes were strewn everywhere. All his toys were spread out across the floor. The curtains on his window had been yanked off.  _Oh wow, I really made a mess. Papa is gonna be really mad at me._

But he found himself not caring.

Instead, he picked himself up entirely and dragged himself to the bed, grabbing the missing sheets along the way. He crawled up to his pillow, set his head down, and was about to go to sleep when he was something smiling at him.

His favorite stuffed Titan toy.

In a rage-filled moment, he scrambled out of bed, grabbed the toy, and threw it against the opposite wall. "WHAT ARE YOU SMILING ABOUT?!" he screamed, but his voice cracked and left him coughing for a good minute. When he finally calmed down, he glared at the toy, and fresh tears began to spill from his eyes. "There's nothing…to smile about." He rubbed his eyes, but the tears still came. "Wow, they must have thought I was really stupid to give you to me. You were Titan Daddy the whole time, and I couldn't figure that out." He gave up trying to rub the tears away and stared at his toy, which just smiled back with its arms widespread, silently offering a hug. Unable to resist, the boy crawled over to it and hugged it, finding a slight bit of comfort in its soft, warm embrace.

_This will always protect you._

The boy pulled away once the words echoed in his mind and stared at the toy. His tears stopped. "That's what Daddy and Papa always told me about you. But how could you protect me? You're just…"

He gasped.

* * *

Eren and Levi lay in their bed, Eren hugging Levi from behind. The room was quiet save for their breathing, but the moon shone brightly through their window. Levi gently shifted when he heard Eren's voice. "I can't sleep."

Levi shook his head. "Me either."

_Knock, knock._

Eren and Levi sat straight up in bed as their door opened, revealing their little boy hanging onto his plush toy. The child glanced at them before looking down at the floor and saying, "Can I come in?"

"Of course," Levi said quickly, moving away from Eren so there was a free space between them. He pat it and said, "Come here." His son did so, and he picked the child up and settled him in the free spot. The boy kept staring at his toy and playing with its hair, but his parents didn't mind. They waited for him to speak.

"You know," he eventually said, "I was growing out my hair so that it matched my toy. I guess I'll match your Titan, too, Daddy."

Eren flinched at that but didn't say anything, as he was in no position to defend himself.

When his son spoke again, the boy's voice trembled. "Why didn't you tell me?"

This time, Eren did speak. "Oh, baby…we don't blame you if you hate us."

"I don't hate you."

Eren and Levi were both certainly wide awake now.

The boy turned so that he was facing them. "I never said that I hated you because I don't. I said that I was angry because I am. I'm…angry and sad and confused and…I just want to know why you didn't tell me."

At this, Levi pat his lap and opened his arms, inviting his son to sit with him. Without hesitation, the boy crawled to him and lay against his chest. Levi wrapped his arms around him and kissed his forehead. It felt amazing to hold his precious baby in his arms again. All three Jaegers needed the comfort. "We were going to tell you when you were older," Levi explained in the calmest, most caring voice he could muster. "We we going to sit you down when you were a teenager and tell you everything. We didn't want you to know as a child because we wanted you to have the most normal childhood possible. Daddy and I had very bad childhoods. Daddy lost his mommy and daddy, your grandma and grandpa, when he was young, just a little bit older than you. I spent my entire childhood in the underground without real parents. I was very poor and hung out with some very bad people and did very bad things to survive." He paused to place another kiss on his son's head. "So, because we didn't have good childhoods, we wanted you to have the happiest childhood possible. We wanted you to run and jump and play and smile and laugh and sing and dance and have a ton of fun without a care in the world."  _This world is far too cruel, and I wanted you only to see the beautiful part of it._ But he left that part out.

The boy contemplated this for a while, quietly relaxed in his papa's arms. He looked at his plush toy and then looked at Eren. "Daddy," he eventually said, "are there other people like you?"

Eren swallowed hard and nodded. "Yes."

"Do I know them?"

"…Yes."

"Oh."

Silence.

"I'm sorry, baby, I won't tell you who they are. If they want to tell you, they can, but I won't invade their privacy."

The boy shrugged. "It's okay. As long as none of them are bad."

Eren shook his head. "No, they're not."  _Not anymore at least._ But he, too, left that part out.

The boy then held up his toy. "This is you, isn't it?"

Eren nodded. "We never expected you to like that toy so much. Hell, we didn't even make it, it was a gift before you were born. But, when we gave it to you, you refused to let it go, so we thought we'd use it to teach you that my Titan wasn't bad. That's why we told you that—"

"It would always protect me, I know. Now I get it," the boy finished, leaning back down against Levi's chest.

"Daddy uses this power to protect the people he loves and help win humanity's freedom," Levi explained, shifting so that he was right next to Eren again. "He's done so much to help us. We have dozens of stories about the great things he's done with his powers. We'll tell them all to you someday. And there are other really great things about his power, too. Daddy gives really great hugs, right? That's because his powers made him big and warm. He doesn't get sick, so he can always take care of us, and he can recover from nearly any injury."

"But the best part about this power," Eren interrupted, gently brushing the hair away from his son's face, "is that it let us have you."

After a beat of silence, a tiny smile appeared on the boy's face, and it was infectious. Eren smiled back at him, and Levi, seeing Eren's smile, managed one of his own. The mood lightening, Eren wrapped his big, warm arms around his husband and his son, and he could have cried with joy. It would take a while to win back their son's trust entirely, but the Jaeger household was at least starting to feel normal.

"Daddy."

"Hm?"

"I'm hungry."

"Oh, I'll make something real quick," Levi said, breaking away and going to get out of bed. He was about to go to his closet to find a bathrobe when he heard a knock on the front door. Cocking an eyebrow, he headed downstairs, opened the front door, shut it after a few minutes, and then reemerged upstairs, shaking his head and saying, "Eren, I swear to Sina, that sister of yours is something else." He took the top off the pot in his hands and said, "She stayed up late making soup for us in case we couldn't eat dinner."

Eren's eyes popped out in shock. "Wha…really?! Mikasa did?!"

Levi nodded and shrugged. "Got damn perfect timing, too. Heh, midnight snack, anyone?"

"Thank you, Aunt Mikasa!" the little boy said, cheer starting to reappear in his voice.

Levi didn't bother commenting on the mess the soup would probably make in the master bed. He just set the pot down on a nightstand, got three bowls and spoons from the kitchen, and served the late dinner right there.

With full stomachs and a bit of peace back in their house, all three Jaegers finally slept, the little toy in the child's arms keeping them all safe even as they slept in especially late that next morning.


	37. Police Story

The soldiers: Eren Jaeger, Levi Jaeger, and their son.

The weapons: Cleaning supplies from the hall closet.

The battlefield: The son's room.

The battle: The mess in it.

Eren, Levi, and their son stood in the child's room dressed in their cleaning clothes, complete with bandanas keeping their bangs out of their eyes and kerchiefs tied around their faces to keep the dust out of their mouths and noses. Levi held two dusters, one in each hand, while Eren carried a bucket of water in one hand and a mop in the other. Their son held onto a dusting cloth. Levi stared at the war zone that was his son's room while Eren and said son stared at him, waiting for something, anything, with bated breath.

Finally, Levi let out a long, heavy sigh.

"Honestly, I'm impressed."

He looked down at his son.

"Remind me never to make you angry. You're your daddy's son alright."

The boy flushed slightly.

"Alright, might as well get to work," Levi continued, rolling his sleeves up. "First we should pick everything up off the floor. Then we'll put the bed and window back together. Then we might as well dust and mop the whole place up anyway." He set the dusters down for the time being, and Eren set the bucket and mop next to them. Levi then bent down to pick up a nearby shirt when he noticed his son picking toys up. "No, not you, baby," he said, catching the boy's attention. "You don't have to do anything. Daddy and I made this mess, so we'll clean it up."

The boy fiddled with the rag doll in his hands. "But…I made this mess…"

"And it was our fault," Levi insisted.

The boy shook his head. "I want to help. I said something really mean and…I'm sorry, Daddy, I'm really sorry…" His eyes began to tear up, and his bottom lip quivered.

Eren looked straight at him and got down on his knees so he was at his son's eye level. "What is it, baby? You didn't say anything—"

"I said that you were the Titan that bit Papa…"

Now the tears were flowing down the boy's face, and Eren felt his heart clench. He marveled at how carefully and maturely his son always picked his words, never saying something he didn't mean. Before rushing up to his room the previous day, he had said, "I'm angry" because he had been. He hadn't said "I hate you" because hadn't and still didn't. And that wasn't the only example. Eren recalled so many of the times he had screamed out in a rage and said things he hadn't meant throughout his youth, and, hell, he still did that sometimes. And here was his son feeling miserable because of one thing said in a moment of sheer terror and confusion.

Eren pulled the boy into a hug. "It's alright, I know you didn't mean it."

"No, it's not alright!"

"Yes, it is," Eren insisted, pulling back so that he could make direct eye contact with his son. "You didn't mean it. You said that when you were angry and sad and scared; anybody else would have done the same thing in that situation. And saying something like that once doesn't make you a bad person. I'm not angry. Neither is Papa. We still love you very much. We will still love you no matter what you do or say."

The boy nodded and hugged his daddy again. Eren hugged back and then pulled away, wiping his thumbs against his son's cheeks. "Alright now, no more tears. We'll do something fun together once we're all done here. And, if you want to help, you can. You can put all your toys back in their box. Do you still want your plush Titan on your bed?" He smiled when his son nodded. "Alright, then we'll leave that one out for now. Papa and I will fold your clothes and put your bed back together. Right, Levi?"

No response.

"Levi?" Eren turned towards his husband, who was turned away from him, seemingly staring at the wall in front of him. "Levi?" Eren said a little louder, and his husband finally turned towards him.

"I heard you. Sorry, I was just thinking." He momentarily glanced away. "Anyway, if you want to help, baby, you can. And Daddy's right, he's right about everything."

Finally the child smiled and rubbed his tears away. "Okay."

* * *

Eren navigated his way through the marketplace, heading towards the vegetable stands. He stopped in front of a vendor selling tomatoes and went to pick one up when his hand bumped into someone else's. "Oops, sorry!" he said, looking up, only for his eyes to widen and a smile to appear on his face. "Hi—"

"I'm sorry!" Bertholdt said quickly, taking a step back before realizing who was next to him. "Oh, Eren, I'm sorry, I didn't see you. Go ahead."

"Thanks," Eren said back, picking up the tomato and inspecting it. "Reiner here, too?"

"I heard my name!" the blond man said, coming up behind Bertholdt. "Hey, Eren, what's up? Haven't seen you since…yeah."

Eren shrugged as his smile disappeared. "Yeah, we've been lying low since then, but it's been a week, and we can't stay inside forever. Mikasa's been taking time away from HQ and coming over to help us cook, so we're making dinner for her tonight. It's the least we can do, and I just needed to get out of the house. Levi's at home watching the kid. We don't want to take him out just yet in case it's not safe."

Reiner frowned at this. "You don't need to worry about that, Eren, nothing's happened. A small riot almost started as soon as you guys were out of the downtown area, but we helped the Military Police and Garrison break it up before it got ugly."

Eren did a double take. "What? The Military Police? They're the ones we've been avoiding this past week!"

Now it was Reiner's turn to be surprised. "Wha—? Weren't you guys ambushed by Titans outside the Walls?"

Eren went to speak before biting his lip and saying, "Let's go to a less crowded area. I'll explain everything there."

* * *

Fulfilling his promise, Eren quickly paid for the tomatoes, waited for Reiner and Bertholdt to gather their groceries, and then led his friends to a quiet area. There, he sat on a nearby bench and told them the whole story, not leaving out a single detail about who the religious conservatives were and what they had done. Reiner and Bertholdt listened silently, taking in every word, their eyes growing larger with every new revelation.

When he was done, Eren sighed, slumped against the bench, and looked up at the sky. His eyes glanced over when Reiner cleared his throat. "Wow, okay," the blond said, "makes sense you'd want to avoid the Military Police then."

"Yeah, I don't think we can be blamed for thinking that way, but you said that the Military Police also stopped that riot," Eren said back. "What's up with that?"

"Well, the MPs who stopped the riot obviously weren't associated with the same group that attacked you," the blond replied, "because Annie stopped it."

_"Did you see them? Captain Levi and the Titan guy? That little boy with them was sobbing and screaming his lungs out!"_

_"Don't you know? That's their son."_

_"Their son? Ha! It's a monster they bred to take over humanity. Just you watch, it'll appear over the Walls as a Titan, just like the Colossal did all those years ago."_

_"Shame on you, blaming the child. It's the Survey Corps we REALLY need to go after."_

_"I never did trust that shortie and his freak Titan pet."_

_That did it. Annie pushed Armin out of the way and sped home, ignoring his protests for her to stop. She slammed the front door to their shared house open and ran to their bedroom to put on her uniform and gather her supplies._

_Once she was dressed, rifle in hand, Annie ran back to the downtown area, but the townspeople were already starting to form a group. One by one, they gathered together. What had started out as murmurs quickly evolved into shouts and rallying cries. A man called for everyone to protest in front of the Jaeger house._

_"If nothing else, we should rescue that child from his abusive parents!" he declared. Most of the crowd agreed with him._

_Others had more extreme ideas. "Put them all to death before they can attack us!" someone shouted._

_Annie didn't hesitate to use her gear. She flew through the air and touched down in front of the mob, holding up her rifle. "Freeze!" she shouted, aiming at the mob leader. "This is a direct Military Police order: stand down!" The crowd just shouted back at her, and she winced but didn't move._

_"You'd defend those Titan-loving psychos?!"_

_"You should be defending US, not them!"_

_"And why should we listen to YOU, Female Titan? For all we know, you're on their side, trying to kill us all!"_

_"They're INNOCENT!" Annie insisted, finger hovering over the trigger. "And, even if they weren't, let the Military Police handle it. For your own safety, civilians should not get involved!" She flinched when the rallying cries only intensified, realizing that she really had no place trying to get the public to trust her._

_The mob was about to move forward again when a voice joined Annie's. "Eren and Levi Jaeger are not your enemies!" Armin shouted, holding his arms out to shield Annie with his body. "Soldier Annie Leonhart speaks the truth! Both Captain Levi Jaeger and Soldier Eren Jaeger are loyal to humanity, and both of them have made great strides in winning humanity's freedom. Don't forget who sealed the hole in Trost in 850 and then who killed the Titans there! Don't forget where all of you are standing right now: Zhiganshina! Zhiganshina of Wall Maria, which Eren Jaeger, Levi Jaeger, and the rest of the Survey Corps fought so hard to win back. It's only because of them that we can live here again! That's not the work of murderers! That's not the work of Titan sympathizers! Only people fully devoted to humanity would put their lives on the line like that!"_

_"So you say they're not Titan sympathizers?" someone from the crowd called out. "Then why is the Female Titan herself standing behind you in Military Police uniform?!"_

_"Annie Leonhart is a human, just like Eren Jaeger!" Armin heard Annie shift behind him, but she kept the rifle steady._

_Armin's words seemed to hit a chord with the crowd. The rallying cries died into murmurs about how he had a point. A few people broke away and left the area, prompting a small sigh of relief from Armin, but a decent-sized crowd still stood. Some of the people in front were about to move forward when gear could be heard, and the Garrison soldiers who had been guarding the Wall joined Annie and Armin. "If you won't listen to these Military Police and Survey Corps soldiers, then listen to us!" one of them ordered. "For order and peace, we of the Garrison command all of you to stand down! No riots will be tolerated!"_

_And then, one by one, the rest of the soldiers joined the barricade. Despite having no gear or weapons on them, Jean, Reiner, Bertholdt, Connie, Ymir, and Historia stood with Armin and Annie. Sasha watched from the inside of a nearby restaurant as the mob slowly broke up. She wrapped her arms protectively around her eight month pregnant belly and smiled when the Garrison soldiers started guiding the civilians back to their usual business. The mob eventually broke up just as more Military Police soldiers arrived. Any remaining, rowdy protesters were arrested for threats against soldiers. Sasha threw her arms around Connie when he rushed into the restaurant for her._

_Annie let out a heavy sigh and finally lowered her rifle. Armin relaxed as well, wrapping an arm around her and bringing her into a hug. "Thank you," he said quietly, "just…thank you."_

_"Annie Leonhart."_

_Armin and Annie looked up to see a higher ranking Military Police soldier looking down at them with sympathetic eyes. He paused for a long moment before saying, "You used 3D Maneuver Gear without proper authorization. I must ask you to come to Military Police HQ, where you will be dealt with accordingly."_

_"Annie didn't do it just for kicks and giggles!" Armin insisted, keeping his arms around his girlfriend._

_"I'm sorry, it's standard procedure, even if done with good intentions." The man rolled his eyes. "Trust me, I think it's ridiculous, too, but I have a feeling that the Captain will agree."_

_Armin's face dropped in disbelief. "This issue has to go to the Military Police Captain?" he asked. "Why would such a high ranked officer—?"_

_"It's okay, Armin," Annie said, pulling herself away. "He's bringing me to the Captain specifically so I won't be punished."_

_"What…I don't understand!"_

_"Armin, are you wondering why these high-ranking soldiers are actually doing their jobs? This never would have happened a few years ago. The Military Police has changed, largely thanks to the Captain." Annie actually smiled and took Armin's hands in hers, squeezing them reassuringly._

_"Let's go," the superior before her said, motioning for her to follow, "let's get you to Captain Marlowe Sanders so we can be done with this."_

Now it was Eren's turn to be shocked. He leaned over and held his head in his hands, unbelieving of Reiner's story. "Levi and I just assumed that nothing happened. It was quiet so we just assumed that people ignored us, but there were riots and…oh my god." He stared at the ground and felt tears prick at the corners of his eyes.

Reiner gently placed his hand on Eren's back. "Yeah…damn, Eren, I swear, Annie loves that kid of yours. She'd do anything for him. And Armin, oh man, you should have seen Armin. You should have heard his speech!"

"Heh, I already knew that Armin had some serious fight in him," Eren said as he finally looked up. "He saved my ass from the Garrison once, back at Trost before Commander Pixis showed up. And then he snapped me out of my daze or whatever that was so I could plug the hole. And then—ah, whatever, you get my point. The fact that Armin talked them down doesn't surprise me at all. I still just…I wonder, why did Annie of all people…?"

"It's because…"

Both Eren and Reiner looked up when they heard Bertholdt begin to speak. He paused momentarily to gather his thoughts and then said, "This probably isn't my place to say, but she loves your son because he doesn't know about her Titan. He doesn't judge her." A thought suddenly struck Bertholdt's mind, and bead of sweat rolled down his temple. "Wait, Eren, you didn't say anything, did you?! About us and Annie and Ymir?"

"No, no!" Eren insisted. "No, that's all up to you guys, whether or not you tell him. I just told him that there were others like me, not who they specifically were."

Both Reiner and Bertholdt let out long sighs of relief. "Thank goodness…"

Eren smiled at them, finally feeling like he had done something right for the first time all week. He stood, picked up the bag of groceries, and said, "Well, thank you for telling me about Annie and what she did. I'll have to thank her and Armin next time I see them. I should go and tell Levi about them, too."

Reiner nodded. "We'll let you go then. We should get going, too. We'll see you around sometime, okay?

Eren nodded back and headed home. "See you."

* * *

Bertholdt was unusually quiet for the rest of the day. It wasn't strange for him to be quiet in public, but he usually lowered his guard when he was home with Reiner. The blond noticed this and while he didn't want to make his lover uncomfortable, also didn't want Bertholdt to keep his emotions bottled up inside. It wasn't good for his anxiety.

"You okay, Bertl?" he asked as they stood at the counter chopping the tomatoes for dinner.

Bertholdt nodded. "I'm just thinking."

Reiner left it at that for the time being, but his curiosity ate away at him all throughout dinner. True to his supportive nature though, he didn't bring it up again. Bertholdt usually opened up to him over time anyway.

It wasn't until they were both settled in bed that night, Reiner hugging Bertholdt from behind, when the brunet finally spoke. "Hey, Reiner?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you gonna tell him about us?"

Reiner was quiet for a few seconds before shrugging and saying, "Not right now. Maybe in a few years when all of this has blown over. You?"

"Same."

Reiner hummed in agreement and placed a kiss on the back of Bertholdt's neck.

They were silent after that for several minutes, and Reiner wondered if Bertholdt had fallen asleep. He relaxed against his partner's warm bronze skin and started to let sleep take him. Despite being a Titan Shifter, Reiner's body temperature wasn't especially high, probably due to his Titan's armored body keeping everything in. Bertholdt, on the other hand, was like a blazing fire at times, which explained his near-constant sweat. He was especially good to cuddle with on cold winter nights.

"Reiner."

Reiner let out a sleep yawn and mumbled something, only half-conscious.

"Let's get married."

Now Reiner was awake.

The blond sat up in bed and stared down at his partner, his boyfriend, his lover, his…fiancé?! "Bertl, are you serious?" he asked in a loud, disbelieving voice. "Bertholdt Fubar, are you serious right now? Is this real? You're not sleep talking, are you? Oh my god, oh my god…"

The room suddenly felt very hot and suffocating to Bertholdt, so he stayed as still has he possibly could even as his cheeks flushed and sweat started to form on his skin. "I'm completely serious," he said as steadily as he could, though he still tripped on a few syllables, and his voice cracked at the end. "I…I love you, Reiner…and I want to marry you. I want to be married to you. I want…us…"

"Bertholdt," Reiner said, voice firm, "whatever you do, don't feel like you have to do this. Don't feel like you need to do this just to make me happy. If you really don't want to, we don't have to—!"

"I want to!" Bertholdt shouted, sitting up in bed and looking at Reiner with teary eyes. "I want to! I really want to! I just…I thought about everything you told Eren earlier today, about how Armin ran to defend Annie and about how Connie made sure Sasha was safe before jumping in and then about how Eren wanted to go home to tell Levi about your story and…and it just made me realize that I want to be married to you. I don't want to be married to anyone else, just you! I mean, Armin and Annie aren't married yet, but they act like a married couple. They support and protect each other, and Armin takes care of her the way you take care of me, and—! Oh god, Reiner, I don't know, I just don't care about the rest of the world anymore. Annie doesn't care about others as long as the people she loves are okay, and I'm sick of letting the world dictate who I am and who I should be and what happiness I deserve. I don't know if I deserve your love. All I know is that I want to be with you forever, and I'll scream it from the top of Wall Maria if I have to! I'll scream it so that all of humanity can hear it, and I don't care if me looking out over Wall Maria is in poor taste! I'll scream, 'I LOVE REINER BRAU—'!"

Reiner cut him off with a kiss.

When he pulled away, Reiner had tears in his eyes. "Oh god, Bertl, I'm the one who doesn't deserve you."

"Reiner…"

Bertholdt threw his arms around the blond, and the two fell back onto the bed, lips connecting over and over again until Reiner spoke. "What kind of wedding…when?"

"As soon as possible," Bertholdt gasped out. "Just the two of us and the officiant, nobody else."

Reiner nodded. "Whatever you want. Oh god, I love you, Bertl, I love you so much."

A few happy tears fell from Bertholdt's eyes. "I love you, too, I love you, Reiner Braun."

* * *

Annie stopped short and looked towards the house she was standing by. In front of her, Armin stopped when he noticed she wasn't with him and turned around. "Annie?"

She looked back at her boyfriend and smiled slightly. "Sorry, just thought I heard something." She caught up with him and placed her hand in his, thankful that she was there with him. True to his word, her superior had taken her straight to Captain Marlowe Sanders himself, who had let her go with a "warning," much to the amusement of the nearby Squad Leader Hitch. To celebrate, Armin had taken her out for dinner and drinks that night, and they were now on their way home.

Annie glanced back at the house one last time, recognizing it and her closest friends', and let out a quiet sigh. Hopefully, one of these days, she would be able to tell Armin how much she loved him and wanted to marry him, too.


	38. Science Story

The Jaeger household was understandably quiet in the weeks following Eren and Levi's anniversary. Eren, Levi, and their son barely left the house for the first week following it, so Mikasa took time off from the military to bring them meals. None of the higher-ups questioned her, as everyone in the Survey Corps understood her desire to help her brother and his family. Eren was so thankful for her assistance, and his son loved spending time with his aunt. She was a welcome distraction from what could have been a very tense house, especially because he didn't get to see her often.

Mikasa was reluctant to go back to work once the first week was over, but Eren insisted that he and his family were okay. Though life wasn't entirely back to normal, Mikasa knew she had to go. Her nephew was still a bit quieter than usual, and he wasn't as cheerful as he had been before the trip outside the Walls, but there was nothing anyone could do for him. Levi felt this more than anyone, fearing that maybe his son would never be that carefree child again. Perhaps this was their new normal.

But after another week of the usual routine coming back in order, the old life started to settle back in. Eren and Levi woke up early to train. Eren woke their son up and got him ready for the day while Levi cooked breakfast. Levi did paperwork while Eren played with their son. All three ate lunch together. All three went out to exercise and play. When they came back, the boy went back to his room for a nap. Levi had his afternoon tea and then started cooking dinner. Their son woke up and played with Eren a bit more. All three ate dinner together and then cleaned up the table and dishes. Levi gave his son a bath, and Eren settled him into bed. Eren and Levi spent some quiet time together and then also went to bed.

Normal life eventually came back. The littlest Jaeger's smile came back, and everything in life was perfect for Eren and Levi as long as their son was smiling.

Levi was the one who seemed somewhat distracted. Eren had first noticed his change in demeanor when they had cleaned up their son's room after his temper tantrum, how Levi had seemed lost in thought. He stayed that way throughout the following weeks, up until the very end of the month. At one point, Eren caught him writing something, though Levi seemed reluctant to put the words on the paper, as if he hadn't wanted to write it but needed to. Eren tried not to think too much of it, though his concern slowly shifted from his son's well-being to his husband's state of mind.

One surprisingly mild afternoon in late June, Eren came back from a run around the neighborhood to find Levi drinking tea at the dining table. He gave his husband a kiss on the temple, which got him a exasperated look. "Really? You couldn't have wiped your sweaty face first?" Levi asked, wiping his napkin on his forehead before giving it to Eren.

Eren gave him a small grin in return and then complied with the request. "Sorry, sometimes I just get this overwhelming urge to kiss you."

Levi rolled his eyes, but Eren's grin widened when he noticed the tiny smirk on Levi's face. How wonderful it was to receive a familiar reaction from his beloved husband.

_Knock knock!_

Eren perked up at the sound coming from the front door. He quickly wiped the back of his neck and then set the napkin down to answer it. He was not expecting the person on the other side.

"Hi, Eren!"

"Hi…Hanji?"

It was true. Hanji stood on the front step of the Jaeger household dressed in civilian clothes and carrying a duffle bag. Her smile was wide and excited as she peeked past him and spotted Levi. "Hey there!"

Levi finished the last of his tea and joined Eren to greet her. "Hey, come on in, feel free to set your stuff in the living room."

"Thanks!"

Eren stepped out of the way so Hanji could slip her shoes off and head to the living room. Levi casually closed the door as if everything were normal and was about to head back to the dining room until he heard little footsteps on the stairs. He looked up and said, "Hey, baby, have a nice nap?" When the boy nodded, he continued, "You have a visitor."

The boy looked towards the living room, and his eyes widened. "Aunt Hanji?"

"Hey, sweetheart!" Hanji nearly squealed, pulling a blanket out of her bag. "Ready to have some fun? You and I are gonna have a slumber party tonight!"

Levi nodded and went to wash his tea cup.

Eren watched the whole scene, the only words out of his mouth being, "What the hell?"

* * *

Hanji spent most of the afternoon catching up with Levi on paperwork, and they met back up with Eren and his son for dinner. Levi never explained a thing, and poor Eren was beyond confused when Hanji sat next to their son at the table and participated in conversation as if she and Levi had never had their falling out. Eren was pretty sure that Levi had screamed something along the lines of "GET THE HELL OUT OF MY HOUSE, YOU GODDAMN FOUR EYES, I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOUR STUPID-ASS FACE AGAIN" when she had told them the unfortunate news about being unable to have a second child, so seeing Hanji at their dinner table felt like a bizarre dream. Was someone watching them? Was this a prank? Was Moblit hiding somewhere taking notes for some strange experiment Hanji had thought up? His confusion turned into near panic when Levi said his son didn't need to take a bath that night and could go straight to changing into pajamas and playing with Hanji in the living room.

When the little boy came back downstairs in a comfortable set of pajamas, Hanji was wearing her own pajamas and had finished lying sheets and pillows on the living room floor. "C'mere, sweetheart!" she said cheerfully. "Let's make a pillow fort to sleep in!"

Levi just nodded. "Well, have fun, don't stay up too late." He bent down and gave his son a kiss. "Good night, baby, see you in the morning."

"Good night," his son replied as Levi gave him his Titan plush. Levi then proceeded to grab Eren's arm and drag him upstairs to their room while telling him to stop doing his best fish impression.

Once they were alone, Hanji and the boy went to work putting their fort together. Hanji brought the chairs in from the dining room and draped sheets over them. Once they had the basic structure, she and the boy furnished it with all the pillows they could find, creating two nest-like areas for them to sleep. The whole time, Hanji smiled and spoke in her friendliest voice. The boy steadily smiled back, feeling more and more comfortable being around her.

When they were done, they settled inside the fort and cuddled up with the pillows. Hanji pulled paper and pens out of her bag along with a beat-up rag doll. "This was my favorite toy when I was your age," she explained, setting it down next to a pillow so it could sit upright. "It's not really a Titan, but it doesn't really look like a human either, does it? But I didn't really play with dolls indoors. I was more of the outdoors type. I liked to play in the mud and look for bugs. But this doll, yeah, I don't know what it is, but I liked it."

The boy smiled at her story. "My toy is a Titan," he explained back. "It's Daddy's Titan form."

Hanji's eyes widened slightly. She had heard that the secret was out, so she had been unsure of how to approach that subject. "Are you okay with that?" she asked.

The boy shrugged. "It scared me when I first saw it. I scared me real bad because I had this nightmare about a year ago where Daddy turned into a really bad Titan and ate Papa and wanted to eat me. Then we went outside the Walls for Papa and Daddy's anniversary, and some really bad people attacked us and brought Titans with them, so Daddy transformed to save us. I was really scared when that happened, really sad and angry and confused and scared. And I thought I never wanted to see Daddy and Papa again because everyone except me knew. But then I thought that, if Daddy was bad, he wouldn't play with me and tell me stories and tuck me in at night and give me hugs and kisses so…yeah, it's a little weird, and his Titan is scary-looking in real life, but Daddy is still Daddy. He loves me and takes care of me."

Hanji hummed in understanding. "That's a good way to think about it. Just because something is scary-looking doesn't mean it's bad. Some people think your papa looks scary, but we both know he's a good person."

The boy shrugged again but then nodded. "Papa is only scary-looking when he's angry."

Hanji laughed. "Yup, even I think he's scary when he's angry."

"Hey, Aunt Hanji?"

"Hmm?"

"Why…have you never hugged me?"

Hanji took in a quiet, sharp breath, eyes somewhat hurt as she looked away for a moment. Thankfully, the child before her was patient and just hugged his toy waiting for her to speak. When she looked back at him, his eyes were full of curiosity, but he also looked like he would understand if Hanji refused to answer his question.

She didn't though. "I made an agreement with your papa before you were born," she explained, sitting upright. "Here's the thing, and it's kind of a long story, but…my primary job within the Survey Corps is to study Titans, not kill them. I'm basically head of the science department, so I do a lot of scientific experiments to see what I can find out. I've done a lot of experiments with your daddy, and they've helped the Survey Corps learn more about normal Titans. Now we know that his Titan abilities let your papa have you, so I wanted to study your papa and you to see what else I could learn. But your papa…he thought that I'd use you for experiments even if you said no, even if you were a little baby and couldn't say no."

"You'd never do that to me though, right?!" the boy interrupted, voice high pitched and terrified.

Hanji shook her head and smiled. "I would never do that. I would never make you be in an experiment if you didn't want to. I would never force you to do anything you didn't want to do."

"Then why…?"

"Your papa wanted to protect you. It didn't matter what I said. He made me promise not to touch you at all; I couldn't even hug you. What could I do? You're your papa's baby, so he gets to decide how to raise you."

The boy was quiet for a few seconds. "Aunt Hanji?"

"Hmm?"

"Please hug me."

And she did.

The rest of the evening was filled with stories, drawing, quiet giggles, and Hanji writing in her notebook. When the boy asked her about the notebook, she just smiled and said that she had a few ideas she wanted to jot down. The boy didn't argue, as he was awake way past his bedtime and was utterly exhausted, falling asleep mere moments later. Hanji wrote for a few more minutes before falling asleep next to him.

* * *

When Levi came downstairs the next morning, he found Hanji standing in front of the stove. She turned when she heard his footsteps stop. "Good morning," she said. "Sorry, I woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep, so I made tea. I hope you don't mind."

"You didn't use the stuff in the silver box in the back corner of the second cabinet, did you?"

"No, I used the stuff in the bottom cabinet, in the cloth bag."

"Oh good, that's the cheap stuff. Yeah, okay, you can have some of that."

Just as he said that, he kettle started to whistle, and Hanji took it off the fire and poured its contents into a cup before the noise could wake the still-sleeping child in the living room. Levi poured himself a cup, let it cool for a minute, took a sip, and said, "Hn, it's not poison."

Hanji's smirk was short-lived as she turned her head to look at the drawings hanging on the kitchen wall. She heard Levi sip at his tea behind her, and she took a long sip of her own. They stood there quietly, turned away from each other, and a heavy tension hung in the air.

Hanji spoke first. "You were right."

Levi shut his eyes tightly and turned his head away.

_"Huh? Eren and Levi's kid?" Ymir asked. She stood in the doorway of her and Historia's home, the little blonde next to her. "Hn, haven't really spent a lot of time with him, to be honest. Wish I could though. I mean, I don't know crap about all that Levi getting pregnant by a Titan Shifter thing, which is weird because I, like, really should, ya know?"_

_"You shouldn't have kept bothering them at Levi's birthday party," Historia deadpanned._

_"That was ONE TIME!"_

_"And you shouldn't have showed up at their house uninvited and tried to host a baby shower."_

_"Not my fault those idiots didn't do the whole 'we're gonna have a baby so give us lots of gifts' thing right!"_

_Historia snorted._

_Ymir sighed dramatically. "Yeah, uh, I dunno what to tell you, Hanji. Only thing we do know is that the kid behaves himself like you wouldn't believe. I mean, sure, he's a kid, so he has his temper tantrums every once in a while, but, when they're out in public, the kid barely makes a peep. He doesn't complain about wanting to go home, he holds either Eren's or Levi's hands the whole time, and he waits patiently for everything. Historia and I don't want kids, but, if we got stuck with one, I'd pray to a whole bunch of gods I don't believe in that the brat would turn out like the Jaeger kid."_

_Historia smiled sarcastically. "So what Ymir is saying is that he's the opposite of her."_

* * *

_"Hmm, I wish I could spend more time with him," Mikasa admitted as the two sat across from each other in Hanji's lab. "From what I've seen, he's a very understanding and accepting child. He doesn't make people explain anything to him if they look uncomfortable. Maybe that's it, he's good at reading people. He understands people's emotions. He can tell how a person is feeling right away. It's interesting because a lot of adults have a hard time with that, but he knows when to press the issue and when to stop talking. Like, after I took Eren out to eat for his birthday, we went back to his place, and I was kinda teary-eyed. I was expecting the boy to say something, but he didn't. It was almost like he knew that I didn't want to talk about it at that moment. I don't know if that answers your question, Hanji, but that's what I've noticed."_

* * *

_"If nothing else, the kid isn't judgmental at all."_

_Jean took a sip of his drink and stared at the bar's ceiling for a few seconds. He then looked back down at his drink and sighed. "Sorry, I'm so used to ordering two drinks that it's weird only ordering one for myself now. I pour Marco a shot once in a while at home, but I've stopped ordering him drinks when I'm out. The kid helped me start to heal though, as crazy as that sounds. He's a good listener. He grasped the concept of a guardian angel right away and didn't judge me for believing in such things. The guys looked at me like I was nuts every time I brought it up, so I stopped talking to them about it, but the kid just sat there and listened and accepted my beliefs. I don't know if that's out of the ordinary or anything, since I guess kids tend to be more accepting than adults, but I think it's worth noting. Why? You up to some experiment, Hanji?"_

* * *

_"I can only hope our kid is half as well behaved as Eren and Levi's kid. Jean's always going on about guardian angels, right? That kid's the real angel." Connie set a tray of bread and jam on the side table next to where Sasha sat in their living room and then leaned on his wife's chair, facing Hanji. "Of course I'll love my kid no matter what, but the good behavior would be a great bonus."_

_"Especially when it comes to bedtime," Sasha added as she took a piece of bread from the tray. "The thing that really stood out to me was that he's never protested sleep while staying with us. Whenever we said it was time to sleep, he never put up a fight, even if he wasn't tired." She spread some jam on the bread and popped a piece of it into her mouth. "I mean, that could just be him behaving for us, but I don't think he's a hassle at home."_

_Connie shrugged. "That probably doesn't mean anything though."_

_Sasha shook her head. "No, it might," she replied, taking another piece of bread from the tray, "because he understands that sometimes you have to do things you don't want to do. Like when Eren and Levi left for the expedition! Connie, you didn't see it because you had left early that morning, but, as much as the boy didn't want his parents to go, he knew they had to. He understood that their job was important." She shoved the bread in her mouth, turned back to Hanji, and, through her stuffed cheeks, said, "I think that means something."_

* * *

_"You should have heard the stories he told us one night we babysat him," Armin said as he passed a cup of water to Hanji, who sat across from him and Annie at the kitchen table._

_Annie nodded. "I've never heard of someone having as wild an imagination as he does. Armin only read him a few sentences out of his book, and, the next minute, the kid is creating whole worlds for us to explore. He thought up more stuff than what was written in that book."_

_Armin suddenly turned timid. "Um, please don't tell anyone this, Hanji, but I have a book about the outside world. My grandpa gave it to me years ago, before he died."_

_"He actually thought up different plants and animals and terrain for multiple places," Annie continued, barely noticing that Armin had spoken. Her eyes widened as she spoke, as if she was suddenly realizing something. "Like…he thought up things I've never heard of, but each one made sense. I don't know, I don't know how to explain it. It's almost like he knows how big the world is, like he knows how big it is in comparison to the world within the Walls. And it doesn't scare him at all…"_

_"…Annie?"_

_She looked up at her boyfriend, eyes still slightly wide. "Sorry," she murmured, "I just…go talk to Reiner and Bertholdt, Hanji, and tell them everything we told you."_

* * *

_"Oh my god, you noticed it, too?!" Reiner exclaimed, stopping mid-way as he attempted to lead Hanji from the front door to the kitchen table. He stared at Hanji with wide eyes, and his jaw dropped. "I knew it, I knew something was up with that kid," he continued quietly, slowly shaking his head._

_Bertholdt stood at the kitchen counter with a pitcher of iced tea, the ice making small striking noises as he trembled. "Reiner and I noticed it after playing with him one day last winter," he said, a tinge of nervousness in his voice. "He understood anxiety and depression and how relationships work and could tell so much just from talking to me for a few minutes. He saw right through me! I was so scared he was gonna figure out my Titan!"_

_"The kid is too damn smart," Reiner nearly hissed. "He's too damn smart for his age. There must be something…! Wait!" He stared at Hanji as if he had just had a groundbreaking epiphany. "Hanji…what if…?"_

"I knew that Eren's Titan powers had an effect on me post-pregnancy," Levi said, still looking away from his guest. "His powers let me get pregnant in the first place, but, as soon as I did, they fought to protect me from the foreign being inside my body, which is why I was so sick. That's just it though, they're protecting me. He's protecting me. Most women don't survive c-sections. Not only did I survive, but I recovered in a few weeks, where as, if a woman does survive one, she needs months to recover. And then I only needed a few weeks to fully recover after that Titan bit me on the expedition." Levi looked down into his teacup, staring at his reflection in the dark liquid. "Eren's Titan powers are protecting me not just from another pregnancy but also from injuries and sicknesses. And our son…the powers have their own effect on him. If I say that he's growing up too fast, I mean it."

Eren walked into the kitchen at that moment, eyes wide awake and shocked at what he had heard from the hallway.

Hanji turned back towards them. "Yes," she said, keeping her eyes steadily focused on them, "his brain is developing at a rate faster than the average human's."

_Knock knock!_

The trio of adults turned towards the front door, pausing for a moment until Eren couldn't stand the tension anymore and ran to answer it. When he opened the door, his eyes widened further out of surprise. "Mikasa, what…?"

"Sorry," his sister panted heavily. She wiped her forehead with one hand and held out an envelope with the other. Her skin was pale, and her eyes were pink with the beginnings of bags underneath them. "Sorry, Eren, I've been up all night, and I just came straight here from Stohess."

"Stohess?" Eren asked in disbelief. "You rode nonstop from Wall Sina all night?!"

Mikasa motioned for him not to fuss over her and then pointed to the envelope. Hanji and Levi joined them at the front door just as Eren opened it. He held it low enough so all three of them could read it, and their eyes widened simultaneously. They stared back at Mikasa, who swallowed hard and wiped her brow again.

"Supreme Commander Darius Zackley is dead. Deputy Supreme Commander Erwin Smith is Supreme Commander now."


	39. Children Story

The official announcement of Darius Zackley's death came a few hours after Mikasa had showed up at the Jaeger family's doorstep. By then, Eren and Levi had already left their son with Connie and Sasha (who were both excused from any and all military activity since Sasha was so close to her due date) and were on their way to Wall Sina with Mikasa and Hanji, all dressed in their uniforms. They took a cart so Mikasa could rest, which Hanji directed while Eren and Levi rode their own horses next to it. By the time they reached Wall Rose, all of the soldiers there had already left for Wall Sina, only a few Garrison soldiers left behind to guard the gates and keep the peace. Eren, Levi, Hanji, and Mikasa didn't bother waiting for the rest of their friends from Wall Maria, knowing that they'd all be together once the actual funeral started.

While on their way to Wall Sina, Eren directed his horse a bit further away from the cart and motioned for Levi to do so, too. Levi sighed and complied, knowing there was no way he'd avoid answering his husband's questions any longer.

"Our kid picks his words better than I do, how embarrassing," Levi said, a tinge of irritation in his voice. "I can't never see the damn four eyes again. Like it or not, we have to work together. And it's not like one of her experiments made me infertile."

Eren frowned.

"…I've always had a feeling that our son's mind wasn't totally normal," Levi continued. "He walked and talked at the ages when babies typically do, but I always felt like he could understand things at a level well beyond his years." He shrugged and looked away. "I don't know, I just had to find out for myself. I had to do an experiment."

After a brief moment of silence, Eren shifted his gaze forward. "You're more observant than I am."

"Tch. Tell me something I don't know."

Eren shot him a dirty look.

Levi flinched slightly. "Sorry, that was uncalled for. But now I wonder…"

Eren's eyes widened slightly.

Levi shook his head, signaling that he didn't want to talk anymore, and directed his horse back towards the cart. Hanji cast him a glance and frowned. They were silent the rest of the way there.

* * *

The funeral happened the next morning, when as many soldiers as possible had arrived in Wall Sina. The three Commanders stood up front with their highest-ranking soldiers behind them, and the rest of the soldiers stood in separated masses behind them. Erwin stood in front of all of them, and he was called to a podium to speak about half-way through the service. Zackley's family spoke briefly after that, the lot of them too grieved to stay up there for long. Zackley was then buried in the military cemetery, which was disturbingly vacant.

"How rare it is to have a body to bury," Rico commented as the casket was covered.

Shortly after the funeral ended, the death report was released to the lower-ranking soldiers and the public. Zackley had been feeling weak and tired in the hours leading up to his death. His family had been summoned to the HQ building, and they had been at his side at the time of his death. As sad as the news was, no one could deny how fortunate Zackley was to have died an old man in bed near his family. It was enviable.

Erwin's inauguration ceremony as Supreme Commander occurred that night. He swore his heart to humanity with his left hand, which nobody minded for obvious reasons, but Levi's eyes narrowed slightly at the action. He trusted Erwin with his entire being, but he couldn't deny that seeing the new Supreme Commander salute in such a way represented change in the military. Levi's chest warmed a bit at the thought.

One week later, the Military Police was ordered to venture underground and rescue all the children there.

* * *

"Is that the last of them?"

"No, we need to go down again."

"What the hell! Are there really so many of them?"

"We're only bringing up the ones who have a chance to survive!"

Levi flinched at that. He whipped his head towards the two bickering soldiers and was about to curse them out for leaving children behind, but Hitch of all people beat him to it. She ordered them to go back down and bring up any living children regardless of their current situation, and they reluctantly complied.

"I can't believe there are so many freakin' brats down there," Levi heard her gasp as she walked by, ignoring him. "Have we really been living above them all this time?"

Levi looked away from her, a bitter expression on his face. Nearby, several Military Police soldiers, under Captain Marlowe's close watch, herded the children already brought above ground into small groups that would later be brought to military buildings to be cleaned, examined, and fed. The fact that civilians were already arriving to see the children and potentially adopt them made Levi feel a little bit better, but his stomach still churned at the memory of living underground. While he was satisfied that soldiers, especially the spoiled slackers of the Military Police, were finally realizing just how bad the underground people's lives were, he was also incredibly irritated and disgusted that children needed to be brought up from there at all. He didn't want to think about how they had been treated throughout their short lives, and he didn't want to think about all the ones whose graves were down there.

"Levi."

Levi turned and could feel himself lighten just at the sight of his husband.

"I think I should head back to Zhiganshina," Eren said. "It's been a week, and I don't want to stress Connie and Sasha out since Sasha is due at the end of this month. Can you handle things here on your own?"

Levi nodded. "Yeah, I'm okay. Be safe." He stood on his toes while Eren bent down so they could kiss, and, when they broke away, Eren smiled. That smile alone grounded Levi, reminding him that, yes, he was safe now. He was cared for. He was loved. He could only hope the children brought up from the underground would end up the same way.

As soon as Eren left, Erwin appeared at Levi's side, offering a friendly smile. "You don't have to stay, you know. I only ordered the Military Police and some nearby Garrison soldiers to help out with this. No one will judge you if you go home to be with your family."

Levi shrugged. "I feel responsible since I'm the one who brought this whole thing up, even if I'm not taking credit for it."

"You could take credit for it."

"No, I don't want any. You take it. Be the god-like hero you are, you big lunk."

Erwin's smile turned into a grin, and he let out a laugh. "Me? A god-like hero? I didn't know your sense of humor went beyond crap jokes."

Levi snorted. "You're more of a hero than that idiot Nile, if that makes you feel any better."

"IF YOU DON'T GET TO WORK, YOU DON'T EAT!"

Both men looked up when they heard none other than Nile himself screaming at two Military Police veterans.

"I GAVE YOU A DIRECT ORDER TO GO UNDERGROUND AND BRING ANY LIVING CHILDREN ABOVE GROUND. IF YOU DON'T OBEY, I'LL HAVE YOU PUNISHED FOR INSUBORDINATION. AND NOW I'VE JUST DECIDED THAT YOUR DINNERS ARE GOING TO THE CHILDREN ANYWAY! NOW GET BACK TO WORK!"

Both Levi and Erwin were quite surprised when Nile straight-up kicked both soldiers in the face, his kick not unlike the one Levi had used in the court case for Eren all those years ago.

After a moment of silence, Levi shrugged. "His beard still sucks."

Erwin laughed at that and excused himself, Levi watching as he made his way towards Nile. That was when Levi heard a familiar voice coming from the other side of the crowd. He stood on his toes and soon spotted a long mess of bouncy, dark curls guiding a group of children to a waiting Military Police soldier. Once they were gone, Levi headed toward the person with the wild hair and said, "Zita."

The young woman turned, cheerful smile spreading across her face. "Hi, Mr. Jaeger!"

"Levi," the short man corrected. "I'm sorry you had to come all the way to Wall Sina, but things seem to be going pretty smoothly."

"Oh, but I'm honored to be here!" Zita insisted, voice genuine. "I must admit, when I first heard the proposed plan, I was taken aback. I didn't know that so many children lived underground in such horrible conditions! It brought me to tears! And then I decided, if I'm going to be a midwife, I need to look after all children, not just the ones who haven't been born yet. And there was no way I was going to turn down a request from the Supreme Commander Erwin Smith himself! He came all the way to Zhiganshina just to ask me to help out! There was no way I could say no, I mean, he's…he's just so…so handsome…" She let her gaze linger on Erwin across the crowd, Levi shifting his eyes back and forth between the two of them.

"…Zita?"

"EEK, WHY AM I TALKING ABOUT MYSELF?!" the woman shrieked, face turning bright pink. "I HAVE A JOB TO DO; THIS IS NO TIME TO BE STARING AT A GUY!"

Another apprentice midwife passed by them. "She fainted on the spot the moment the Supreme Commander said her name."

"DON'T TELL HIM THAT!"

"Hey, I'm with you, honey, I would not pass up the opportunity to climb Commander Gorgeous over there like a single-branched tree."

"STOP IIIIIIIIIIIIIT!"

Levi cracked a smile at that. "Well, I'll let you both get back to work. Don't tease Zita so much she faints again, okay? We need her." He nodded once and then headed over to the underground entrance, his optimistic mood disappearing the moment he looked down into it. It was as dark and cold as he remembered, but now there was an awful smell making his eyes water. He shuddered at the realization that he was probably once so used to it that he never noticed it until he started living above ground (not that the air within the Walls was much better). He wiped the corners of his eyes and jumped down into the area with his gear, cringing when he landed in a pile of mud that splattered up against his boots. God only knew what else was in that pile. But he ignored it for the time being and watched as Military Police soldiers patrolled the area. Some had children in their arms. Luckily, the streets were looking clearer, so chances were good that most of the children had already been rescued. The operation would likely end soon.

Levi was about to head back up to the surface when he heard a faint cry come from a broken down shack. His eyes widened and he entered it only to find a baby, maybe only a few weeks old at best, writhing in a cardboard box with a thin blanket as the only comfort. Levi immediately picked the infant up, noticing that she was a girl, and set her against his chest with her head resting on his shoulder, all his early parenthood instincts flooding back to him. He gently pat her back, and she whimpered again as he quickly checked her. Eyes widening further, he noticed that her right leg wasn't moving as well as her left leg, and her entire body shivered with fever. He immediately went to rush her up to the surface when the door to the shack opened, and Levi's jaw dropped.

"You're…the thug who tried to attack my son in the market…"

The man's eyes widened, and he took a step back. "You want that brat?" he asked. "Take it. The bitch died pushin' it out. I never wanted it at all, I was waiting for it to die. Take it and we'll be cool, okay, Levi?"

* * *

With one last look at the underground city, Erwin declared the operation over. All the living children had been brought to the surface, leaving the thugs, thieves, and murderers left behind to die out. As soon as the soldiers left the area, a shack caved in, burying a corpse in the wreckage.

"ZITA!" Levi shouted, pushing people out of the way with one arm and clutching the infant with the other. He called for the apprentice midwife over and over again until he saw that waterfall of dark curls again. The woman gasped as Levi pushed someone aside and handed the infant over as gently as he could. "Zita, she has a bad leg and a burning fever. She needs a doctor NOW."

Zita nodded and took the baby in her arms without a word. Levi watched as she raced towards a military building, presumably the one where doctors were examining the children.

Once he was alone, Levi let out a sigh, knowing there was nothing else he could do. When he looked down, he realized that he was covered in dirt and drool, but he couldn't find it in himself to care. Dirt just seemed like such a trivial thing when a baby's life was on the line. He shook his head and turned, only two see two other children, both boys maybe around six or seven, staring up at him.

"You're Levi," one said in awe. "You used to be like us."

"But now you're in the Survey Corps, right?" the other one asked. "Humanity's Strongest."

Levi didn't have time to reply. The first boy thrust his arms upwards and, with tears in his eyes, said, "Hug. Hug please!"

Any protest Levi might have had died before it could even reach his mind. Both boys were filthy, covered in mud and wearing ripped clothes that Levi could swear had a few blood stains, but he didn't care. Without a word, he got down to his knees and brought both boys into a hug. He wondered if perhaps this was their first time receiving any comfort from an adult, and the memory of his own cold, lonely childhood resurfaced in his mind.  _Never again,_ he thought,  _That nightmare ends now._

* * *

By the time Eren arrived in Zhiganshina, night had fallen. When he knocked on Connie and Sasha's door, they insisted he stay and eat a light dinner before going home. With no fresh ingredients in his own house, Eren couldn't refuse. He ate quickly, thanked the couple for their help, and took his son home. After sharing a warm bath, they turned in for the night, both happy to be sleeping in their own beds.

The next day was when Eren hoped Levi would come home, but he really had no idea of how long his husband would stay in Stohess. He woke up early to take down the fort in the living room and then got to making breakfast "It's just you and me for now, baby," he said as presented the boy with a bowl of oatmeal (it was the only thing that hadn't gone bad in the week). "Papa should be home soon. Don't worry, he's okay, he's just working hard for Uncle Erwin."

Luckily, his son understood, which reminded Eren of what Hanji had said a week ago. He and Levi hadn't spoken about it since riding to Wall Sina, but, now that he knew to look for them, the signs were there. There was a big difference between a well-behaved child and a child who understood the world around him at a level far beyond his years. As he lifted a spoonful of his own oatmeal to his mouth, a thought struck him, and he wondered if that had been what Levi had thought of but not explained during their ride.

_What if he can shift?_

But he quickly pushed the thought away, not wanting to think about it unless Levi and Hanji were with him. They had more pressing matters at the moment, like going to the market and restocking the kitchen.

* * *

On their way back home from the market (which was thankfully drama-free in the aftermath of Zackley's death, though Eren was also surprised that all the ill-feelings from his and Levi's disastrous anniversary seemed to have dissipated), Eren and his son heard several young voices coming from a nearby grassy area. A group of boys seemed to be arguing, one of them holding a ball. Just as Eren and his son passed by, one of the kids looked at them and said, "Hey! Excuse me! You wanna play ball with us? We need another person!"

"Me?" the little boy asked, pointing at himself. When the other child nodded, he looked up at his daddy for permission.

Eren smiled. "We have time. Go ahead, baby. I'll stay over here and keep an eye on you."

After a moment of hesitation, the boy nodded and ran over to the group of boys. He smiled shyly at them and said, "Hi, I'm—"

"Wait, I know you!" one boy said excitedly. "You're Eren Jaeger and Lance Corporal Levi's son, right? Humanity's Hope and Humanity's Strongest! That's so cool!"

"And your last name is fun to say," another boy said. "I wanna shout it. JAEGER!"

"That's what we'll call you, okay?" the first boy said. "Nice to meet you, Jaeger! I'm Andres."

"And I'm Nadiv," the second boy said. The other kids took turns introducing themselves, and little Jaeger felt an overwhelming joy bubble up within him. He didn't play with other children often, mostly because he loved to spend time with his parents since they could be away for long periods of time, so this was new and fun for him.

"You have two daddies?" a child asked. "Ugh, you're lucky. My mommy tells me to clean my room all the time. It's so annoying, I don't wanna!"

The boy shook his head. "My papa makes me clean my room even when it's not dirty."

"…Never mind."

"So you'll be the goal keeper, Jaeger," Andres explained, setting his new friend up between two sticks the boys had planted in the grass. "It's your job not to let the other team get the ball past you. If they do, they get a point. Oh, and the goal keeper is the only person allowed to use his hands."

After a few more explanations, the game started. The boys happily kicked the ball in every which way, and neither team did a very good job of aiming for the goals. However, no one seemed to care. They laughed as they bumped into each other and helped each other up when they fell. At one point, the little boy let the ball pass into the goal, but the disappointed quickly disappeared when his team scored in the other goal.

"Hey, what the heck, you guys are playing without me?"

The activity came to a screeching halt, and the boys looked up with fear in their eyes. Standing on the field was another boy, this one taller than the rest of them with thick limbs and a gut that peeked out from underneath his shirt. He scanned the children until he saw the little Jaeger and said, "You invited this loser to play instead of me? You know who he is, right? He's got two dads, and one of them is a Titan in disguise. That's weird."

"…My daddy isn't weird."

"Huh? Speak up, loser!" the big kid shouted, confronting the small boy. "The name's Hadeon, and I run this field. These are my friends, so don't go thinking you can take them away from me. They're just being nice to you because you look so stupid and they're sorry for you! Your eyes are way too big, and your hair is too long. What are you, a girl?"

"…I-I'm a boy…"

"If you're a boy, then fight back! Or are you too scared?" Hadeon pushed him on his shoulder, and he let out a whimper. "I knew it, you're too scared! Why? Don't you have a big, ugly Titan dad at home? My dad says that your dad is gonna eat everyone in the Walls and that the Military Police should have killed him a long time ago. And your other dad—ugh, that's gross—is a bad person who doesn't care about humanity." He looked at the rest of the kids. "Why are you playing with this freak, huh? His monster dad is gonna eat all of you!"

"MY DADDY ISN'T A MONSTER!"

Hadeon looked back down at the littlest Jaeger, who had tears forming in his venomous green eyes. "My daddy is a good, kind person who loves me and my papa very much! He plays with me and gives me hugs and kisses and tucks me in at night. He uses his Titan powers to protect us and the rest of humanity. My daddy and papa both protect humanity! They're not bad, you are! You say mean things and scare people into playing with you. YOU'RE THE MONSTER!"

Hadeon made a fist and swung it at the little boy, but it landed on something big and solid. When he looked up, his eyes widened with fear.

"Now now, that's no way to make friends," Eren said calmly. He smiled down at Hadeon and continued, "Hadeon, was it? I'm Eren Jaeger but I guess you already know me. It seems you know my husband, too. Would you and your dad like to come over for dinner sometime? We'll have meat. My husband is an excellent cook; he cuts meat up so well that it just melts in your mouth. I just love the way a good, fatty piece of meat tastes, although this meat…looks spoiled rotten." He bent down and gently traced a finger down Hadeon's cheek. The boy trembled and Eren smirked, licking his lips. "Oh well, what do you say? I'd love to have you for dinner…"

Eren harshly pinched one of Hadeon's pudgy cheeks, and the boy screamed in terror. He ran away from the field, and Eren and the boys watched him until he was out of sight. Eren shrugged and stood back up. "Hn, guess he didn't want to."

Nadiv looked up at him. "You're so cool, Mr. Jaeger."

Eren grinned. "Thank you! All you boys are, too. But, if you'll excuse us, the little Jaeger and I have to head home and put the groceries away before my husband comes home. Thank you for letting him play with you."

The boy rubbed his eyes and took his daddy's hand. "Thank you, I had fun."

"You can play with us whenever you want!" Andres insisted.

The child's heart felt light. "Thank you."

After a few goodbyes, Eren and his son finally headed home, just in time to see Levi at the front door. The boy ran to his papa, and Levi picked him up to give him a big hug. Eren quickly joined to give his husband a long, welcoming kiss, and the three headed inside to resume their normal lives. That night though, Eren would have a bedtime story for Levi:

_The Little Jaeger (And How He Defeated the Big, Ugly Bully)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Andres: (Estonian origin) "manly" or "courageous"
> 
> Nadiv: (Hebrew origin) "noble"
> 
> Hadeon: (Croatian origin) "destroyer"


	40. Baby Story, Part 1

Levi heard a set of little feet come down the stairs just as he started slicing the fruit for breakfast. He turned, eyes slightly wide, and said, "Good morning, baby, you're up awfully early."

The boy shrugged as he rubbed his eyes. "I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep." He paused and then said, "Did you and Daddy already do your morning training?"

Levi shook his head. "Today is a rest day, so Daddy is sleeping in. Want some bread?" He ripped a piece off a roll and handed it to his son. "It's hot today, huh? We'll have cold meals all day. I don't want to heat up the house more than it already is."

The boy nodded and took the bread. "That was the other thing. I was so sweaty upstairs, I felt like Uncle Bertholdt!"

Levi cracked a tiny smirk at that. "No wonder you couldn't fall back asleep. Anyway, gimme a few more minutes to put breakfast together. Then we'll drag Daddy out of bed." He turned back to the counter to peel an apple and, after a pause, said, "Daddy told me about how you stood up to that bully a little over a week ago. That was very brave of you, and you even met some new friends out of it. I suppose we'll be having Andres and Nadiv over sometime?"

The boy sat against the wall underneath his art gallery and frowned. "I guess."

"Hm? What's wrong?"

"I was just thinking about Hadeon. He said that his daddy says mean things about you and Daddy a lot, and I was just wondering if Hadeon's daddy says mean things about Hadeon, too. Maybe that's why Hadeon was so mean to Andres and Nadiv and everyone else?" He shrugged. "I don't know but I shouldn't have called Hadeon a monster. That wasn't nice." He bit into the bread and chewed thoughtfully.

Levi was quiet for a few seconds, taking in his son's words. Truly, the boy's mind was advanced beyond his years. It was incredible really, the way he thought about and understood concepts in ways that many adults couldn't. Levi couldn't help but wonder what would await his son down the road of life due to this gift, and the possibility of shifting was still very real.

"Maybe next time you see him you can be nice to him," Levi suggested as he sliced the apple. "You never know, maybe being nice to him will make him nice to other people."

His son finally smiled at that. "Um, Papa," he continued, "what's today's date?"

"July 19th. Why?"

"I just felt like today was important."

"You never know, it might turn out to be."

The rest of the morning was quiet. True to his promise, Levi finished peeling and slicing the rest of the breakfast fruit and then woke Eren with a yank of the arm and a kiss on the forehead. Once breakfast was eaten, Levi went to work cleaning the dishes and wiping down the countertops and table. When Eren asked their son if he wanted to play, the boy shook his head.

"No, thank you," he said, and sat on the couch with one of his books. He could read simple books on his own now, leading to much more quiet time in the Jaeger household. Eren couldn't help but think that his son reminded him of Armin as a child, with his eyes wide open with wonder and all his attention focused on the pages' words. Eren gently ruffled his son's hair and then left him to help Levi in the kitchen.

It wasn't until closer to lunchtime when Levi walked into the living room to see his son kneeling on a chair and dreamily staring out the window. Levi didn't say anything at first, just watching him, but the boy didn't stir. If he noticed his papa, he didn't make any indication of it.

"You alright, baby?" Levi finally asked. "Do you want to play outside?"

The boy shook his head. "No, I just wanna look."

Levi's brows furrowed slightly, and he went to speak, but his son stopped him.

"I was just thinking," the boy continued, "that the world looks really beautiful today."

Levi's eyes widened and his jaw dropped slightly.

His son finally turned towards him, a sweet, content smile on his face. "You told me once a really long time ago that the world looked more beautiful to you on the day Daddy was born because you finally lived in the same world together, so I was just thinking—"

_KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!_

The sound at the door was more like a frantic pounding than a knock, and it continued up until Eren came down the stairs and put his hand on the knob. The door slammed open from the outside, nearly smacking Eren in the face. A breathless, flushed Connie jumped into the house and grabbed Eren's shirt with trembling hands.

"Connie, what—?"

"IT'S A GIRL!"

Silence.

"IT'S A GIRL, IT'S A GIRL!"

And then Eren let out a high-pitched squeal and picked Connie up off the ground, bringing the other man into a hug. "Oh my god, congratulations!" he cheered as he set Connie down. "I just…when? Just now?"

"This morning!" Connie was bouncing in his spot, unable to hide or control his excitement. "Oh god, I've been up since two this morning, and I'm running on nothing but adrenaline, but OH MY GOD, I just…You guys have to come over! Right, that's why I came here, come over! You guys are the only ones who know how exciting this is!" He grabbed Eren by the arm and dragged him out of the house. Connie had a decent amount of muscle on him, but the fact that he could pull the giant Eren as hard as he could was a surprise. But nobody really had any time to contemplate that. Levi took their son's hand and closed the front door behind him, and they ran to catch up with the new father.

* * *

Connie opened the front door of his and Sasha's house and guided the Jaeger family into the master bedroom. He opened that door and smiled wide at Sasha, who sat up in their bed with a blanketed bundle in her arms. She smiled back at them, eyes tired and hair a ratty mess, but her face was beaming, and her smile was genuine and proud. She motioned for the men to join her and pat the empty spot in the bed next to her, signaling that the little boy could sit there. Eren picked the child up and set him down there, leaning over so he could get a good look at the baby. When he saw her, pure joy appeared on his face.

The baby was sleeping peacefully, curled up against her mother. Her chubby cheeks were a healthy shade of pink, and the beginnings of dark red hair peeked out from underneath her knitted hat. Even though her eyes were closed, they still resembled her father's. No doubt, she'd grow up to be a very pretty girl.

"Her name is Aoife," Sasha said quietly. "Would you like to hold her, sweetheart?"

The boy looked up at her with excited eyes. "Can I?"

Sasha nodded. "Here, sit up straight," she instructed, gently settling the baby in his arms. "Support her head, there you go, perfect." She leaned back against the bed's headboard and sighed, satisfied.

"Oh, congratulations," Eren breathed, watching the amazing moment before him, heart swelling at the sight of his son so captivated with the new life. "She's so beautiful. How do you feel?"

"Tired," Sasha said honestly, "but happy. Labor actually wasn't as bad as I thought it was gonna be, and it didn't take that long either. I mean, sure, it was painful, but it was a good hurt. I don't know if that makes sense, but, like, I knew it wasn't meaningless. I was gonna get something really amazing out of it." She shifted her gaze towards Levi and smirked. "Sorry."

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, keep bragging." He returned the smirk. "Congratulations."

Footsteps came into the room, and everyone turned to see Sasha's father standing in the doorway. There were tears in the man's eyes. "That's mah daughter," he said through sniffles, accent as strong as ever. "Mah daughter gave birth to the prettiest lil' girl in all o' humanity. Prettiest woman and the prettiest lil' girl are Braus ladies, yes, they are." He turned to Connie and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I already know that you gon' take care o' them."

Connie smiled at him thankfully. "Of course I will, Sir."

Sasha smiled at the scene turned back to her daughter, who kept sleeping soundly in the little boy's arms. "She'll probably sleep for a few more hours at least. She's already had two meals."

"Two?" Eren laughed. "Guess we know whose appetite she has." At that moment, Sasha's stomach growled, and Eren laughed again.

"Oh god, we haven't eaten a real meal since last night," Connie said. "I'll go to the market and get some fresh meat. It's a celebration, am I right?!" He grinned and went to leave the room when Levi turned and followed him.

"I'll go with you," he offered.

Connie gave him a skeptical look. "Really? You…?"

"Are you the one who usually cooks?"

"…"

"My point exactly. No way in hell you're serving mediocre food to the woman who just gave birth to your child."

* * *

With the two of them navigating the market, Levi and Connie quickly gathered all the necessary ingredients to make a fantastic, over-the-top feast. They didn't run into any of their friends there, and Connie was actually happy about that. There would be plenty of time to celebrate with the whole gang, but he was content to share the moment with just the Jaegers.

"Like I said, you and Eren are the only ones who know how Sasha and I feel right now," he explained as he hoisted the grocery bag into his arms. "Plus, we've spent so much time with your kid that we wanted you guys to be the first ones to meet Aoife."

Levi smiled slightly at that. "Thanks for thinking of us."

They walked back to the Braus-Springer house in relative quiet, but Levi's mind was rushing at a mile a minute. He couldn't stop thinking about that baby girl he had found underground. Little Aoife reminded him so much of her. Was she okay? Had the doctors been able to help her? Zita would update him on her status, right?

But little Aoife also reminded him of his own baby and how happy he had been once he had been born. He had to admit though, he was quite jealous of how easy Sasha's pregnancy and labor had been…

_Eren watched his husband curl into a ball on their from the doorway of the master bedroom. He still couldn't believe the news they had received yesterday: Levi was pregnant. How was still a mystery, but Eren didn't allow that thought to come to the front of his mind. He had more important things to worry about, like how miserably sick Levi was. Immediately upon coming home from the midwives' office, he had gotten sick in the middle of the front hallway, and Eren had brought him up to their room to rest. He hadn't moved since then._

_And now Eren didn't know what to do next. When he had married Levi, he had vowed to keep him and love him in sickness and in health, and he had no plans to back out of that promise, but that didn't mean he knew how to take care of his husband when he was sick, especially this kind of sick. Quietly, he went to go downstairs until Levi's voice stopped him._

_"I'm not contagious. You're allowed to come in."_

_Eren looked up and frowned. "I just wasn't sure if you wanted to be alone."_

_"Don't you dare leave me alone."_

_Eren walked into the room and placed his hand on Levi's shoulder._

_After a long silence, Eren spoke. "You don't have to do this, you know, not if you don't want to. I'll support you and stand by your side no matter what you decide to do."_

_Another pause, and then Levi spoke. "Then you're stuck with both of us."_

* * *

_Their friends knew._

_No doubt the entire military was getting word._

_It wouldn't be long until all of humanity knew._

_Eren knew there would be drama. He knew they'd get weird looks and stares and that rumors would be spread and that some people might even threaten them. He didn't even want to think about what the religious conservatives would say or do, and he dreaded the snide remarks from the rest of the Military Police._

_But the rest of humanity could go screw itself for all her cared. The only thing he truly cared about was Levi, his beloved husband who hadn't been able to keep anything down for weeks. Since meeting him, Eren had done a lot of cleaning for Levi, but he was sure he had cleaned up more in these past few weeks than he ever had in his life. And, for the first time, he had cleaned himself because of Levi._

_And did he hate it. Oh, how he hated it._

_"I hate seeing you like this," Eren whimpered, kneeling on the floor next to Levi in their bed. He gently placed his hand against Levi's back and continued, "I will take care of you when you're sick. I will always care for you no matter what, but…oh god, Levi, I hate this. I hate everything about this. I just…" He wiped the tears away from his cheeks. "You're not even living. You're not participating in life like a human. Whatever this baby is, it's turned you into nothing but an incubator!" He immediately slapped a hand over his mouth and let out another whimper. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."_

_"Eren."_

_Eren looked up._

_"For all we know, I AM nothing but an incubator for some Titan baby."_

_Eren was openly crying now._

_"But that's a risk I'm willing to take. I made a choice, and I don't know what the turnout will be. All I can do is hope that I made the right decision and that we'll get a living, human baby out of this."_

_Eren wiped his eyes. "Levi…I'm gonna find you something that you can keep down, I promise."_

* * *

_"If the damn four eyes even so much as touches my kid, I'll kill her, I swear."_

_"But Hanji's observations and experiments could tell us how this happened in the first place!"_

_"I don't care, my kid's safety comes first."_

_"I don't think Hanji would kill it…"_

_"Are you forgetting that she once wanted to let you merge with your Titan to the point that we wouldn't be able to cut you out?"_

_"…"_

_"Go get me a cup of tea and two steamed potatoes."_

_"You're hungry enough for two?"_

_"One for me to throw up and one for me to digest."_

* * *

_It was official: Levi's abs were gone._

_He wrapped his arms around his middle and got back into bed, feeling how strangely soft his midsection was. He could only hope that that was because his baby was growing and not because his body was wasting away. Truly, he had never been so sick in his life, and he was worried that his baby was getting no nutrients. Of course, with that thought in mind, a new wave of nausea just had to wash over him, and he emptied the contents of his stomach in the nearby garbage pail._

_That was when Eren came upstairs carrying a tray with a cup of hot tea. He gasped loudly as he set the tray on the nearby dresser and ran to his husband, rubbing Levi's back and pulling his bangs away._

_Soon enough, the disgusting retching stopped, and Levi coughed a few times before falling quiet. Eren kept rubbing his back, occasionally murmuring comforting things like "you're okay" and "I'm here" to him. After a moment, he tried to move his husband back into bed, but Levi wouldn't move._

_"Is it…because I'm dirty?"_

_Eren stopped short and gripped Levi's shoulders with a bit more strength. "What?"_

_"Why else would I be so sick?" Levi asked, turning towards Eren with wide, bloodshot eyes. "I must be dirty. I must be so utterly filthy. My body must be expelling all the disgusting filth within me so that none of it gets passed on. I'm…dirty. I'm too dirty to carry this baby. I…I'm really going to…waste away…because…all…I am…is…filth…" His voice cracked and his skin turned a disturbingly pale shade. Eren quickly realized that Levi was trembling and barely breathing._

_"Levi! LEVI!" he screamed, picking his husband up and lying him down on the bed. He grabbed a nearby book and tried to fan air towards his husband's face, but sweat started to appear on Levi's brow, and his eyes could no longer focus. Eren, not knowing what else to do, ran into the bathroom and brought a wet washcloth back to his husband. He pressed it against Levi's forehead with one hand, held his hand with the other, and, in the calmest, most reassuring voice he could muster, said, "Levi, you need to breathe. Do it with me." He took a long breath in through the nose and let it out through his mouth. After repeating this a few times, Levi finally started following his directions, and his breathing slowly but surely turned to normal. After about half an hour, Levi was breathing normally on his own._

_Eren didn't move, locking eyes with his husband, still pressing the washcloth against his head and holding his hand. "You are NOT dirty, Levi," he said, sounding more and more sure of his words and actions with every passing moment. "I don't know why you're so sick, but it is NOT your fault. None of this is your fault. You are NOT dirty, and you are NOT made of filth." A few tears formed in the corners of his eyes when he saw that Levi was listening to him intently, and his grip on his hand strengthened slightly. "Please don't ever feel like you're dirty, Levi, because you're not. I'll tell you that as many times as I need to, because I love you so much."_

_Levi reached up with his free hand and gently caressed Eren's face, staring into his husband's gorgeously sincere eyes. They were a calming green, the kind of color that comforted him and made him feel at peace. He then turned on his side, and Eren laid down behind him, hugging him from behind. Eren's hands pressed slightly against his midsection, and Eren smiled slightly at how soft it was._

* * *

_"These are all good for nausea and stomachaches," Sasha explained as she placed a bag in Eren's arms. "I don't know if they help with morning sickness—I guess what Levi has is more than just sickness in the morning though, huh—but I think it's worth a try."_

_Eren stared at her with tears in his eyes. "Thank you, Sasha, thank you…" he managed to say, holding back on admitting how he could kiss her. But then a thought struck him. "Wait, did you go out and buy these for us?! You didn't have to! And there are a ton of herbs in here I've never seen before, this must have cost a fortune!"_

_Sasha shook her head. "No, I already had them. Go on, Eren, take them. Levi needs them more than I do."_

_Eren made a cup of herb-infused tea and a plain steamed potato for Levi that night. Levi kept it all down._

* * *

_Levi actually didn't feel like he was going to die that morning. That wasn't to say that he felt good or healthy, but his nausea seemed to have calmed a bit. He dreaded the idea that it would come back in full force after breakfast, but there was nothing he could do to control it, and he certainly couldn't not eat. He pushed the covers off and, for the first time in months, put on normal day clothes instead of old, messy pajamas._

_At least, that was what he wanted to do. He tried to button one of his shirts, but the buttons towards the bottom wouldn't even come together. All his t-shirts rode up on his stomach so the skin peeked out from underneath it._

_When he did finally come downstairs to find Eren slicing bread in the kitchen, he was wearing one of his husband's t-shirts, which looked more like a dress on him. Eren turned when he heard Levi's footsteps, and he froze upon seeing his husband, the knife clattering on the kitchen counter._

_"I need to go shopping," Levi muttered. "There is no way in hell I'm wearing your stupid clothes for the next few months. I didn't even notice that my stomach was getting big already since I've barely gotten out of bed and put myself together like a damn human being since this whole thing started and…Eren? Eren, why are you staring at me? Look, I know it's nothing short of a damn miracle that I'm out of bed and not puking my guts up, but—! Eren! Dammit, Eren, put me down! No, no, we are NOT doing it in that bed I've been getting sick in! Go to the couch, you moron, the couch!"_

* * *

_Eren pressed his hands against Levi's stomach, waited for a few seconds, and then let out a short laugh. "Oh my god, that's so cool," he said, gently rubbing the skin there. "Hi, baby, I'm so glad I can feel you moving now!"_

_Levi leaned back against the headboard of their bed and let out a groan. "Soon this little Titan spawn of yours is gonna be beating the crap outta me from the inside at all hours. If I'm awake in the middle of the night, so are you, just so you know."_

_Eren wanted to laugh at his husband's words, but they unknowingly stabbed him in his biggest insecurity. Eren stopped rubbing Levi's stomach and kept his hands still and his eyes on the swollen stomach where he child lay. After a moment, Levi noticed the change in the mood, and he gently pat the top of Eren's head. "What's wrong?"_

_"…What if it really is a Titan?"_

_"Eren…"_

_"I mean it! What if it really is a Titan?" He looked up at Levi desperately. "And what if it's a Titan that has reproductive organs or something? It could have its own Titan children. It could be the downfall of humanity! It could—!"_

_"Eren," Levi said firmly, grabbing the younger's attention, "shut up, you're gonna make me sick."_

_"But…"_

_"Just shut up, Eren. You said that you'd stand by my side and support me no matter what I decided, and I decided that I was going to have this baby. You made that choice to stand by me. We don't know how things will turn out, but we made choices, and all we can do is hope we won't regret them."_

_A tear slipped from one of Eren's eyes. "What will we do if it is a Titan?"_

_Levi didn't answer him. He felt his nausea come back in full force, and he sprinted to the bathroom._

"She's gonna break my heart, isn't she?"

Levi snapped out of his memories and stared at Connie, who had stopped walking. Levi watched as the new father looked down into his bag of groceries, tears forming in his eyes.

"She's gonna break my heart, I know she will," he continued through sniffles, voice cracking and lips trembling. "What kind of messed up system is this, huh? We put so much time and effort and love into our children, but then we blink and they're grown adults who don't need us anymore, who run off and live their own lives. We parents invest so much in them, and they have the audacity to grow up. They grow up and leave us and…" Now the tears were freely flowing down his cheeks. "And we don't even get to watch their lives play out! We go and die! We die and leave them alone, but it doesn't matter because they don't need us! And—!" His legs gave out and Levi grabbed him before he could crumble to the ground. He led Connie to a nearby bench and set the grocery bags on the ground next to it, rubbing the other man's back as the tears fell into the dirt beneath their feet. "And…" Connie gasped out, hunching over, "…I just really wish my mom was here. I just…really wish she knew her granddaughter. But I can't cry in front of Sasha. This is supposed to be a happy time, and it's not all about me and what I want, so…"

Levi looked straight ahead, hand still rubbing the other man's back. "Connie."

A pause.

"Sasha isn't here right now. Let it out."

And he did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aoife (pronounced "EE-fah): (Gaelic origin) "beauty," derived from a warrior princess's name from Celtic folklore


	41. Baby Story, Part 2

It took a solid twenty minutes for Connie to calm down enough to go home. Levi stayed with him the whole time, rubbing his back and reassuring him that his feelings were valid, much to Connie's relief. In the back of his mind, Connie wondered when and how his superior had become so comforting, but then he remembered why he had invited the Jaegers over to his house that morning in the first place, and that only made Connie cry harder.

Levi knew how he felt. Levi felt the same way.

Eventually, they made it back to the Braus-Springer house, where they found Sasha and the little Jaeger curled up on the master bed while Eren sat with a still-sleeping Aoife in the living room next to Sasha's father. Levi gave Eren a kiss and then went straight to the kitchen. When Connie insisted on helping, Levi shook his head.

"Go spend some time with your kid," he said as he lit a fire on the stove. "Sorry, the house is gonna get hotter."

With a nod, Connie took Aoife from Eren and sat on the couch. Eren left them behind to help his husband in the kitchen.

About an hour later, Sasha woke to the smell of Levi's delicious cooking. She gently woke her little houseguest, and the boy sleepily stumbled in to the kitchen. Levi placed the last of the food on the dining table while Sasha's father brought the most comfortable chair in the house to it, padding it with pillows since his daughter was likely still sore. With Aoife settled in a small crib next to the table, everyone sat down to celebrate the little girl's arrival.

After cleaning up, Eren, Levi, and their son excused themselves to give the Braus-Springers some family time. It was perfect timing, too, because Aoife woke up mere moments after the table had been wiped down, whining for another meal.

"Thank you for inviting us over, Uncle Connie," the little boy said as he gave the man a hug. "And thank you for letting me hold Aoife, Aunt Sasha."

Sasha smiled as she settled the baby in her arms. "You can come see her whenever you'd like, sweetheart," she said. "In a few weeks, you'll be able to play games with her, too."

The boy giggled at the thought. "Thank you."

"Thanks again, guys!" Eren said, waving as he and his family stepped outside. "Congratulations!"

* * *

In the following week, Connie and Sasha presented Aoife to the rest of their friends, and everyone came together to celebrate. Aoife was awake for that party, taking in all the sights and meeting everyone on a more intimate level. Her parents were visibly tired, and the guys teased Connie about it, but the mood overall was joyful.

Levi couldn't sleep the night of the celebration though, too caught up in remembering when his own little one first came into the world.

_An elderly midwife gently pressed her hands against Levi's bare, growing stomach as he lay back on the examination table and hoped his nausea would stay in check. Eren quietly sat nearby, waiting for the check-up to end. Hanji stood across the room, keeping her promise and merely observing everything. She watched on, eyes sharp, and occasionally wrote in a small notebook._

_The midwife pulled her hands away with a gentle smile. "The baby seems to be growing normally," she said sweetly. "How has your nausea been?"_

_Levi rolled his eyes and yanked his (Eren's) oversized shirt back down over his stomach. "Oh, just WONDERFUL."_

_The midwife let out a short giggle. "It's not as bad now as it was now that you're in the third trimester though, right?"_

_Levi shrugged. "I can manage to keep one meal down a day now."_

_The midwife nodded as Hanji quickly jotted that down. "Well, despite your sickness, your baby seems to be healthy. You can feel it moving and kicking, right? So it must be getting the nutrition it needs. Any questions?"_

_Eren made a small, quiet grunting sound, but he didn't say anything. Nobody saw Hanji glance at him._

_Once Levi was cleaned up and back on his feet, he and Eren left the office, Hanji following behind them shortly before deviating towards her own path back to Wall Rose. Eren turned momentarily to watch her go, his husband's voice bringing him back._

_"You were going to ask if the baby was a Titan, weren't you?"_

_Eren bit his lip. "I'm sorry."_

_Levi sighed heavily. "Eren, how many times do we have to—"_

_"I can't help it. I'm scared something is gonna rub off on it."_

_"Nothing is going to rub off on i—"_

_"But—!"_

_"Eren!" Levi stopped and grabbed Eren's arm, forcing the taller man to look at him. "Stop it. You told me that you would support me and stay by my side no matter what throughout all this. If you really meant that, stop it with this crap. I need you now more than ever. I need you to be my rock, to be something steady amongst all this uncertainty. You're only gonna make me sick and even more of a nervous wreck if you keep this up."_

_"Levi…"_

_"Can you do that for me, Eren?"_

_Eren swallowed hard and reluctantly nodded, eyes shining with the beginnings of tears._

_Levi sighed and relaxed his grip on Eren's arm. "Good. Now let's go home and see if I can keep a second meal down today."_

_Neither one paid any attention to the young woman who passed by them. Her long, dark curls bounced as she stopped short and turned, eyes widening slightly and cheeks flushing pink._

_"Humanity's Hope, Eren Jaeger, and Humanity's Strongest, Lance Corporal Levi Jaeger, both of the Survey Corps…"_

_She sniffed lightly and let out a quiet "Father…" before continuing on towards the midwife's office._

* * *

_Armin appeared on the doorstep of the Jaeger house one afternoon with a big smile on his face and a box in his arms. "Hi, Eren!" he said cheerily. "I brought you some presents!"_

_Eren didn't know what to say at first, staring as Armin walked inside. "You didn't have to!" he finally insisted, closing the front door behind Armin as he shed his coat. "And shouldn't we be the ones bringing you presents? Isn't your birthday coming up?"_

_"It's okay, don't worry about it," the blond insisted, setting the box on the coffee table in the living room. Levi was sitting in the armchair, one hand absentmindedly rubbing his stomach and the other hanging onto a book. He looked up from the book just as Armin opened the box and pulled out a set of baby clothes. "Hee, they were on sale! I know you said you didn't want a baby shower, but I couldn't resist!" He pulled out a few more sets, everything from onesies to matching shirts and pants to pajamas. One thing in particular, a bright pink, long-sleeved onesie with the feet attached and a hood with bunny ears, caught Levi's eye, and he wasn't sure whether he wanted to burn the thing or dress his kid up in it every day. It was pretty damn adorable._

_Levi smiled slightly at the scene and set his book down. Armin looked so excited and happy, and he had gone out of his way to do something nice for them, so the least Levi could do was give him his full attention. "Thank you, Armin, would you like to stay for tea?"_

_Once Levi was on his feet, he headed for the kitchen and brewed a full pot of a slightly more expensive tea than usual. He added anti-nausea herbs to it, the combination of the finer ingredients and the medicine doing wonders for his sickness. He still fell ill at least once or twice a day, but, the further along in pregnancy he went, the better he felt._

_"Thank you. Oh, have you guys thoughts of any names?" Armin asked as Levi set a cup down in front of him._

_Levi shrugged and passed a cup to Eren. "A few. We haven't decided on anything though."_

_"We want to see the baby before deciding," Eren added, sitting on the nearby couch after helping Levi comfortably sit back down in the armchair. "For a boy, we like Jason, Richard, Marius, one of those might work. For a girl, we like Annabelle, Monica, Emily…oh, Mikasa told us about a few names from her culture, too. We really like Hiroyuki for a boy and Isuzu for a girl."_

_Armin nodded and sipped at his tea. "I like those, too, but I understand why you'd want to wait. No matter what, I can't wait to meet the little one!"_

* * *

_Three days._

_Levi had not been sick for three days. It was his best record yet._

_And it kinda freaked both him and Eren out. They had gotten so used to Levi being sick that him not being sick was suddenly more of a concern to them. At their next visit to the midwife's office, she happily explained that every pregnancy was different and that there was no set pattern for morning sickness. Sometimes it lasted throughout the whole pregnancy, sometimes it was nonexistent, and sometimes it came and went. Hanji furiously wrote all this down and asked her fair share of questions, but Levi was honestly just happy that he had found some peace, even if it was late in the game. When he didn't get sick for an entire week, he could really breathe a sigh of relief._

_One night, Eren felt the weight in bed shift, and his first thought was that Levi's nausea had come back. However, when he didn't hear any telltale sounds of sickness, he got out of bed, lit a candle, and headed downstairs to find a light coming from the kitchen. Inside was Levi boiling a kettle of tea and ripping pieces off a loaf of bread._

_Levi turned when he heard his husband's footsteps swallowing the bread in his mouth. "What?"_

_Eren smiled softly. "Craving?"_

_"Shut up."_

_The kettle began to whistle, and Levi took it off the heat. He poured two cups and set one in front of Eren as he sat down with the other and the bread loaf. Eren took his cup, still smiling, but didn't drink the tea. He kept staring at Levi with a dreamy expression as the shorter man continued munching on the bread._

_Finally, Levi couldn't take it anymore. "What?"_

_"Nothing," Eren sighed, "I'm just happy."_

_"…You're damn creepy, you know that?"_

_"I mean it, Levi, I'm really happy." Eren's smile slowly fell, and his eyes began to water. "I couldn't stand seeing you so sick. I hated watching you suffer. I felt so useless. I love you so much, and I swore I'd do anything to help you, and the fact that I couldn't take your pain away was just—!" He reached out and gripped Levi's hand in his own, tears now starting to run down his cheeks. "And, as crazy as it sounds, I wanted you to enjoy being pregnant as much as you could. I wanted you to eat whatever you wanted whenever you wanted. I wanted you to relax and just focus on being comfortable. I wanted to get up in the middle of the night to satisfy any craving you had. I wanted to rub your feet and back. I just…I mean, I'd do anything for you, which is why I always cleaned you up after you got sick, but I wanted there to be so much more than that, and—"_

_"Eren."_

_Levi turned towards his husband and gently held onto his hands. He wanted to say so much. He wanted to tell Eren how much he loved him and how grateful he was for everything he had done for him. He wanted to tell Eren that he was the greatest thing that had ever happened to him and that he was overwhelmed with joy at the mere thought of having his baby. Despite his months of illness, this was the happiest and most excited he had been in a long time._

_But he couldn't._

_"Thank you."_

* * *

_"Look what I got!"_

_Levi looked into the hallway from the kitchen, and he cocked an eyebrow. Eren closed the front door behind him with his foot and grinned at his husband._

_"A rocking chair?"_

_"It was on sale! Almost clearance!"_

_Levi gave him a skeptical look._

_Eren sighed, set the chair down, and took off his winter jacket. "C'mon, let's go put it in the nursery. At least humor me and see how it looks."_

_Levi sighed and agreed. He thought they had finished the nursery a few weeks ago when Eren put the final touches on the crib he had made from scratch, but apparently Eren thought otherwise. Still, he'd play along with it. The rocking chair itself was in good condition, and Levi had to admit that it had a sort of charm to it. He followed Eren upstairs to the nursery and watched as his husband placed it in a blank space._

_Silence._

_Eren and Levi stood in the doorway of the nursery and stared. The room was longer than it was wide, but it still had plenty of room for a child to play. The crib, complete with soft sheets, sat in the right corner, facing the doorway. Next to it was the closet, filled with baby clothes. Across from the closet was a box full of toys, and next to the box was a changing station. Light shone through a single window across from the doorway, illuminating the sparkling clean floors. Sitting in the left corner was their most recent purchase._

_A rocking chair._

_"Oh my god," Eren breathed, voice barely above a whisper, "we're going to have a baby."_

_Levi ran his hands over his eight-month pregnant belly._

_"Yeah," he whispered back, staring at the rocking chair._

_This was it. This was real. It was going to happen._

_"We're really going to have a baby."_

* * *

_Levi groaned as he plopped into the living room's armchair, rubbing his forehead and shaking his head. "Why did I go along with your stupid-ass birthday party plan when I literally feel like I could burst at any moment," he asked. He glanced at Eren, who grinned sheepishly yet thankfully in the nearby hallway, and sighed, unable to stay mad. "Get over here and rub my feet, you damn brat."_

_"Coming!" Eren replied cheerily, slipping his shoes and winter jacket off and settling himself at his husband's feet. He gently took one in his hands and began to rub it, massaging the aches and pain right out of it. His grin widened a bit when he heard a pleased sigh escape Levi's lips. "Thanks for going along with my stupid-ass birthday party plan," he eventually said. "I know that parties aren't your thing, but I really wanted to do something fun for you before the baby comes."_

_Levi sighed heavily. "I know. I appreciate the thought."_

_"…Only about a month left now."_

_"Eren."_

_"Hmm?"_

_"I meant what I said at the party. I'm really excited."_

_Eren couldn't help the blissful smile that crossed his face. Levi rarely admitted his emotions, if ever, so what his husband felt at that moment must have been overwhelming to the point that he couldn't hold his words back._

_"Oh, Eren, c'mere," Levi suddenly said, motioning for Eren to stop. As soon as Eren let go of Levi's foot, Levi took his hands and pressed them against his stomach. He watched as Eren's face lit up at feeling the little baby move and kick from within him, and he felt a wave of peace wash over him. They three of them were going to be a family. Everything would be fine. Eren would take care of both him and their baby, and life would be perfect._

_"That's so cool. That's really just so cool," Eren said, kissing Levi's belly. He gently pressed his forehead where he had kissed and continued, "Happy Birthday, Levi."_

_"Merry Christmas, Eren, now carry me to bed."_

* * *

_"I'm going to kill Ymir."_

_"Please don't."_

_"I specifically said that I didn't want a baby shower, and she goes and tries to host one! And what the hell is up with these gifts?"_

_"She was just trying to be nice…"_

_"Oh my god, look at this hideous thing. Is this a joke?"_

_"Her sense of humor has always been sick."_

_"She needs some serious help."_

_"Agreed."_

* * *

_Levi awoke with a start, shaking lightly, the beginnings of sweat forming on his brow. He took in his surroundings and told his brain to calm down. He was lying on his and Eren's bed in their bedroom, having just woken up from an afternoon nap. Eren was downstairs with Mikasa and Armin, probably going over the plan for when Levi went into labor. Levi's stomach was so large, and he was due any day now, so even the most minor of activities tired him out. If nothing else, pregnancy seemed to have cured his insomnia._

_But in that moment he sort of wished that he had never fallen asleep. That truly had been one of the worst nightmares he had had in a long time. He tried to push it out of his mind, the idea of giving birth to a Titan, but the thought shook him to the core and ate away at his composure._

_And all too soon, he'd find out if his nightmare would come true._

_He took a piece of paper and a pen off the nightstand, grabbed a book for support, and started writing._

_"January 29th_

_Dear baby…"_

* * *

_Quiet._

_"E…Eren…"_

_Eren's eyes blinked open, and he turned over so he could see his husband in the light of the early morning, but Levi was facing away from him, curled up on his side of the bed. For a moment, Eren thought he had imagined the voice, but then it came again, and it sounded strained and a little desperate. Gasping, Eren jumped out of bed and ran to the other side so he could face Levi. "What's wrong?" he asked as calmly yet urgently as he could. "Levi, what's wrong?"_

_Levi's face was contorted in concentration, as if he was trying to keep himself from expressing any pain or discomfort. He cracked an eye open when he felt Eren gently rub his cheek, and he said, "Eren…what day is it?"_

_Eren swallowed hard. "January 30th, why?"_

_"Remember this day," Levi said, smiling even as he winced. "It's your child's birthday."_

_For a split-second, Eren just stared at his husband, but then his words clicked, and his mind sped off in overdrive. "MIKASA! ARMIN!" he cried, rushing out of the bedroom and down the stairs. "MIKASA, GET THE MIDWIFE, GET HANJI! ARMIN, TOWELS AND HOT WATER, NOW! THE BABY'S COMING!_

_Levi let out a pained groan as he heard the people downstairs rush to their respective stations. For a brief moment, he dreaded the idea of the midwife and Hanji rushing into his home with their dirty shoes and bulky winter coats, but another shot of pain ran down his spine, and all those thoughts disappeared. He had been through some serious pain in his life, everything from fights with rival gangs to Titan bites to miscellaneous injuries on the battlefields, but this was on a whole other level. It was almost humorous to him, how a tiny baby that hadn't even been born yet was the one to cause him the worst pain he had ever felt._

_By the time the midwife and her assistants were getting to work, Levi was sweating heavily and panting through a clenched jaw. Eren tried to calm him with a cool towel, but Levi seemed so deep in pain that he couldn't recognize anything except pain, and this was with the pain medication necessary for cesarean sections. Eren bit his lip as he watched the assistants strap Levi to their bed, plenty of towels underneath and around him, and hang a curtain from the ceiling that fell on his neck and blocked his view from the surgery. Eren was thankful for it. As much as he wanted to see his child, he wanted all of his focus on Levi for the time being. Levi needed him more._

_"Alright, let's get to it," the midwife said. "Please remember to keep breathing, Mr. Jaeger."_

_The room was relatively quiet for a moment, and then Levi let out a high pitched scream, sounding so inhumanly in pain that Eren almost burst into tears out of fear. Levi's body was supposed to somewhat numb, but there was only so much the medication could do. He twisted and writhed against the straps holding him in place, and a few tears escaped his eyes. He kept breathing though, in, out, in, out, through a jaw clenched so tight Eren worried he'd crush his teeth. Not knowing what else to do, Eren snuck his hand underneath the curtain and grasped Levi's, the older man squeezing it for everything it was worth._

_"Oh god, oh god," Levi grunted, his words sounding more like slurred growls than actual words._

_"Just keep squeezing it as much as you want," Eren said as calmly as he could, though it was obvious that the whole situation was rattling him pretty badly._

_Levi let out another scream and then said, "I might damn near rip it off at this rate!"_

_"It's okay if you do! It'll just grow back!"_

_Something that sounded like a mix of a weak laugh and a miserable groan left Levi's throat, and he tried to take a deep breath. It was shaky but it happened, and he gently turned his head towards his husband. "Eren," he nearly whimpered, his voice starting to become raspy from all the screaming, "tell me how it's going to be." Another tear slipped down his cheek. "Tell me about how great it'll be…"_

_Eren was taken aback at the request at first, but then his expression softened into a smile, and he nuzzled against Levi's temple, the older man still clinging to his hand for dear life. "We are going to have so much fun," Eren said gently, feeling himself calm at his own words. Levi slowly stopped twisting so violently, much to Eren's relief. "It'll be wonderful," the younger continued. "We'll feed 'em and bathe 'em, and even changing diapers won't be so bad once we get used to it. We'll bundle 'em up in blankets and settle 'em in our arms to sleep, and we'll play all sorts of games. We'll watch 'em walk and talk and smile and laugh and sing and dance and play and be happy. We'll all be happy, because we'll be a family. It'll be perfect, our own perfect, little life together, with you, me, and baby…"_

_Levi let out a loud, pained gasp, and then someone else was crying._

_"It's a boy!"_

_"A boy," Eren gasped, a huge smile lighting up his face. "Levi! It's a boy, it's a boy!"_

_"A…boy…?"_

_Eren nodded. It was the last thing Levi saw before he passed out._

* * *

_When Levi awoke, he felt heavy, like his entire body was a giant weight pressing down on his mattress. It was a comfortable mattress though, and he had enough consciousness within him to register the clean, warm sheets tucked around him. The straps and the curtain were gone, and sunlight was filtering into the room through a nearby window. This winter had been surprisingly mild, so the sunlight felt sweet and radiant on his skin even through the blankets. He slowly turned his head to see Eren kneeling next to him, sleeping as he rested his head in his crossed arms. Groggily raising a hand, Levi reached out and tugged on his husband's shirt sleeve. "Eren…Eren…"_

_Eren stirred and blinked his eyes open, smiling when his vision came into focus. "Levi," he whispered, crawling over to his husband and gently kissing his forehead. "Oh, Levi, you did such a good job. You were so great. I just…I'm so proud. You're so incredible." He paused to place more kisses all over Levi's face until he finally reached his lips. "It's a boy," he said against them. "A beautiful baby boy. A son. We have a son." He kissed Levi lovingly, pouring all his emotions into the action, but he kept it quick, knowing Levi was still weak and needed all the oxygen he could get._

_"Where…?"_

_"Let me get him." Eren stood and walked across the hall to the nursery. Levi heard him say something, and then he reappeared in the master bedroom, the midwife following him with a blanketed bundle in her arms. Eren helped Levi sit up the best he could, fluffing up the multiple pillows against the headboard, and the midwife gently placed the newborn in Levi's arms. Eren grinned and said, "I haven't held him yet. I wanted you to be the first one."_

_Levi couldn't believe who this was in his arms. This was his baby, their son, and he was nothing short of perfect. Soft, peachy skin, little fingers balled into little fists resting against his chest, chubby cheeks, pretty lips, a button nose, and a messy little mop of black hair hiding underneath his knitted hat. Perfect. Just perfect._

_"I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat."_

_Levi looked up at his husband as he clutched his newborn son to his chest, rare tears running down his face._

_"I'd suffer that nine-month-long hell and that surgery pain for the rest of my life…no, until the end of time, if it meant I could have him here. Just…god, Eren, look at him, look how perfect he is. I just…"_

_He rubbed his forehead against the newborn's just as the baby's eyes opened for the first time, and their gazes met._

_"I just love him so much."_

* * *

_The first few days after the little boy's birth passed like a surreal dream. Levi was ordered to take strict bed rest, but Eren wasn't alone in his caregiving duties. Armin and Mikasa stayed over for those first few nights, the three of them taking turns caring for the baby, caring for Levi, and taking care of themselves. Eren tended to Levi the most, as the man had quite the recovery road ahead. He was kept on a liquid diet for those first few days, unable to eat anything solid until the incision in his abdomen healed somewhat. Eren had to help him with the simplest of tasks, leaving him frustrated and secretly embarrassed. He was Humanity's Strongest, and here he was needing help bathing and feeding himself._

_Still, Eren was patient with him and never complained. He handled every task with a blissful smile, which made Levi's heart feel light. He might have been feeling unwell, but it was temporary. Eventually, he'd recover enough to be out and about on his own, getting back to his usual routine of cooking and cleaning and (now) taking care of his baby boy. Honestly, he couldn't wait._

_So when Armin and Mikasa had to return to Wall Rose and go back to work, Eren and Levi both felt a bit of dread drop into their stomachs. Because two of humanity's most valuable soldiers were out, the Survey Corps had needed to double down to make up for the temporary loss. Both veterans and newcomers pulled more weight, and every capable soldier was needed more than ever. Thus, Humanity's Brightest and Humanity's Second Strongest were desperately needed._

_Leaving Eren and Levi with their most terrifying mission yet: their first night home alone as parents. Suddenly, neither one felt all too hopeful or strong anymore._

_"Of course you have to be fussy the first night we're alone," Eren groaned as he gently rocked the wailing newborn in his arms. He yawned and cursed his bad luck. The baby had been pretty quiet while Armin and Mikasa had been there, so Eren had assumed that he and Levi had gotten lucky with a low-maintenance baby._

_Nope. It was the middle of the night, and no one had slept a wink._

_Eren was running out of ideas. He and Levi had fed the boy, burped him, rocked him, sung to him, swaddled him, anything and everything they could think of that babies liked. "You could just be lonely," Eren murmured, pacing around the nursery. "First you're forced out of your warm, cozy home, then your aunt and uncle leave, and now it's really cold out tonight. It's weird since this winter has been mild, but whatever, you don't care." He sighed and kissed his son's forehead, but the boy's cries didn't stop._

_"Eren," came Levi's voice from the master bedroom. Eren walked across the hall to find his husband sitting up in bed and rubbing his eyes. Eren didn't have it in him to tell him to lie down, as there was no way he'd be able to rest. Levi held his arms out and said, "Give him to me." He gently clutched the boy against his chest and continued, "Can you pick me up?"_

_"…What?"_

_"Can you pick me up while I hold him?"_

_"You're not supposed to leave the bed unless absolutely necessary!"_

_"What's the point of being in this damn bed if I can't rest?!"_

_Eren had no good response._

_"I'm going to sit with him in the rocking chair, since we haven't tried that yet," Levi said firmly. "No, you aren't going to do it, I am. Pick me up and bring me to the nursery."_

_Eren couldn't argue. He reluctantly nodded and, after making sure he had a secure hold on his husband, lifted Levi and their son up into his big, protective arms. If there was one perk to Eren growing so tall, it was how solid and steady he had become, perfect for carrying someone like Levi, who weighed much more than he looked._

_Levi grimaced slightly as he was settled into the rocking chair, as his incision hadn't healed yet, but he kept the discomfort in. It was nothing compared to labor anyway. Sighing lightly, he pressed the boy's ear against his chest where his heart was and slowly started to rock the chair back and forth._

_And then, the miracle of miracles happened. His son's wails quieted, and, in mere minutes, the baby was asleep._

_Eren and Levi stared at the boy with enormous, stunned eyes. This was truly the shock of their lives, more than when Levi had suddenly barged in on Eren's trial and beaten the life out of him, more than when Eren had transformed reaching for a spoon, even more than when they and the rest of the Survey Corps had finally made it to Grisha Jaeger's basement. This tiny human had truly shocked them in the most unexpected of ways, leaving them speechless._

_Well, at least Levi was speechless._

_"Oh my god, he comes with a MUTE BUTTON."_

_The three residents of the Jaeger house slept like rocks for the next four hours before the baby needed to be fed again. They were the best four hours any of them had ever slept._

* * *

_The days turned into weeks, and the Jaeger household fell into a routine. Their friends (all except Reiner, Bertholdt, and Annie, who were waiting out their prison sentences) met and cooed over humanity's newest addition. Levi eventually recovered enough to get out of bed and go about his usual business, surprising the nurses at how quickly he seemed to have healed. He didn't think anything of it though, content to get back to keeping the house in order and spending more time with his family. Eren had insisted upon taking a family photo at the end of the first week (turning out both romantically and adorably wrong, but no one really complained), and Levi would rather it had waited until after they had figured their new lives out, but the days seemed to blend together in such a haze of baby-related activities that he even began forgetting his old life to an extent. His son captured all his attention and had an inescapable grip on his entire being. He never thought he'd ever enjoy being someone's prisoner._

_Levi sat up in bed one quiet afternoon, Eren peacefully sleeping next him. In Levi's arms was their son, the little boy also asleep, curled up against Levi's chest. He was wearing that ridiculous rabbit suit, only adding to his overabundance of cuteness. Levi sighed lightly and gently caressed the baby's cheek with his thumb. The baby sighed back and instinctively reached out to take hold of his papa's shirt. Levi couldn't stop smiling, as subtle as it was._

_"If I could just sit here and watch you exist until the end of time," he whispered in the baby's ear, "I'd be the happiest man alive."_

_Everything about this moment was perfect, the three of them lying together in the quiet of this calm, peaceful afternoon in March. Eren's birthday was coming up. Levi turned towards his husband, watching the even rise and fall of his chest as he breathed lightly. "We'll have to do something special for your daddy," he continued, staying quiet enough so that Eren wouldn't wake up. "He's done so much for us. He's been working so hard since the beginning. He's always worked hard, and he always will." He paused and his smile widened slightly. "You really won the jackpot getting him as your daddy. You're going to have a great life with him."_

_When Levi looked back at his son, his eyes widened slightly. The baby was awake; he was smiling his first smile._

_And Levi just melted._

_Truly, the three of them would have a fantastic life together._

Eventually, Levi did fall asleep, but not before he ventured into his son's room and placed a kiss on the boy's temple.

* * *

Life was normal for the next few weeks. The whole gang met Aoife. Sasha celebrated her birthday. July turned into August, and Levi felt the end of summer coming as he gathered his groceries together and headed home from the market one afternoon. He navigated his way through the stands and was about to walk into the road when someone bumped into him from the side.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't see you!" came a woman's voice.

Levi turned to her and was about to say that it was okay, but his jaw dropped, and the words died in his throat. There was a little human in that woman's arms, a small baby with hair the color of the earth after a storm and eyes the color of rich coffee and a leg that wouldn't move along with the rest of her. Her eyes widened when she saw Levi, and she reached out towards him with a little hand.

The woman jumped slightly when she saw who she had bumped into. "Oh, Lance Corporal Levi, I'm so sorry! Marvelle, sweetheart, leave the nice man alone." She took the baby's little hand in her own and smiled. "Excuse us, Lance Corporal, she seems to have taken a liking to you."

"…It's okay," Levi managed, swallowing hard. "I have one of my own. She's very cute."

A man—Levi assumed he was the woman's husband—soon joined them. "Oh my, good afternoon, Lance Corporal," he said in a friendly voice. "Sorry, is this little lady bothering you?"

"…Not at all." Levi watched as the child smacked the woman's hand away and continued reaching for him. "Marvelle, huh? That's a pretty name."

"We adopted her from Supreme Commander Erwin Smith's program to bring all the children from the underground to the cities above ground," the man explained. "She was injured and sick when she was found, that's what that midwife Zita said. I just can't believe that someone abandoned this little sweetheart! What kind of horrible person would do that?"

"Well, no matter how she came into this world, I'm glad she's ours now," the woman sighed, bouncing Marvelle in her arms. "I can't have children. I was injured as a teenager, so we thought we'd never have a family. But when we heard about the Supreme Commander's program, we rushed into Wall Sina as quickly as we could. Our parents were thrilled. You should see this little one's room! It's bursting with clothes, toys, blankets, oh, we've all spoiled her rotten since we brought her home."

"Anyway, sorry to bother you, Lance Corporal," her husband continued. "We better be getting home. Say 'bye-bye,' Marvelle." He and his wife waved at Levi as they turned and left, and Levi watched them go, Marvelle watching him over her mother's shoulder.

"Levi."

Levi turned.

"Are you satisfied?"

Levi just smiled. "Yes, thank you, Zita."

* * *

That night, Levi tucked his son into bed as usual, pressing a kiss to his forehead and securing the sheets around him.

"Good night, baby," he said, placing the Titan plush in the boy's arms.

The boy giggled quietly and then said, "Papa, can I ask you a question?"

"Hmm? What is it?"

"It's not that I'm lonely or anything, but I was just wondering, have you ever thought about having another baby?"

Levi's eyes widened momentarily, and he hesitated at first. But then he just smiled and said, "I have. I've thought about having another baby crawling around the house." He leaned over and kissed his son again. "But then I remembered that I'm already a single father with two babies. I don't need another one, I don't want to get too overwhelmed." His smile widened slightly at the sound of his son's giggling, and he kissed him one more time.

"Good night, baby, sweet dreams."

"Good night, Papa, I love you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Marvelle (French): "miracle to be marveled at"


	42. Friend Story

"When I grow up, I'm going to ask Aoife out on a date."

That was the announcement made at the Jaeger family's breakfast table one morning. Eren paused mid-chewing and Levi stopped sipping at his tea. They both stared at their son, who looked back at them with a confident, steadfast expression.

Eren smiled and swallowed his mouthful of bread before saying, "Really now?"

The boy nodded. "Uh-huh. And then after we've been on a lot of dates, I'll ask her to marry me."

Okay, even Levi had to smirk at that one. He set his teacup down, momentarily glanced at Eren, who was trying to hold back laughter, and then said, "What will do you if she doesn't want to go out on a date with you?"

The boy looked away, contemplating this, and then looked back at his papa and said, "Ask someone else. But I really hope that Aoife would want to go out on a date with me."

Levi nodded and went back to his tea. "Good answer."

"What would you do on your date?" Eren asked, ripping off another piece of bread.

The boy paused to think, glancing upwards, and then said, "I'll take her to a nice restaurant. You know, like a place that has really good food. That's what people do on dates, right?"

"It can be," Levi replied. "When Daddy and I go out on dates, it's usually to eat. You don't have to do that though. You could take her shopping or dancing or just for a walk. It all depends on what both of you like."

"Though Aoife liking food makes perfect sense," Eren added, "considering who her parents are."

"…Wait a second," the boy said after a pause, looking at his papa curiously. "You and Daddy go on dates, too? Even though you're already married?"

Levi nodded and took another sip of tea. "Sometimes Daddy and I like to go out and spend some time together, just the two of us."

"We love spending time with you," Eren continued, "and we love spending time with our friends, but we also love spending time with each other. Sometimes we want to go somewhere or do something where we only focus on each other. It's fun."

The boy smiled dreamily. "Because you and Papa are in love, right?"

Eren smiled back at him and then turned his attention to Levi, who tried to hide his slightly embarrassed expression. "That's right," Eren said, looking at his husband with a gentle, romantic gaze, "Papa and I are in love."

Levi quickly took a long gulp of his tea and then, cheeks beginning to flush light pink, said, "Damn brat."

Their son just giggled.

"Speaking of which," Eren said in a more normal voice, breaking his lovesick gaze and giving his husband a break, "we haven't been on a date in a long time. We should go out sometime."

Levi shrugged. "Tonight?"

Eren shook his head. "Too soon. I still owe Armin for babysitting that one time."

"Anybody else around?"

Eren eyed him as he finished the last bit of food on his plate. "You're being oddly insistent. Do we really need to go out tonight?"

Levi narrowed his eyes and stood, carrying his empty cup and plate into the kitchen.

"Yup, you do," their son said to Eren, and he took his own empty cup and plate into the kitchen.

* * *

"No."

"But, Levi—!"

"No."

"They're the only ones who are free toni—!"

"No."

"They already agree—!"

"No."

"Aw, I wanna play with Aunt Ymir and Aunt Hist—"

"No."

The little boy pouted, lips twisted in annoyance. "Why not, Papa?"

Levi sighed heavily. "It's a long story. Eren, isn't anyone else free?"

Eren shook his head. "Armin is in Wall Sina with Annie. He told me he was going there with her a few days ago. Mikasa is in Wall Rose, and I think Jean is there, too. God, that's creepy. Um, nobody answered at Reiner and Bertholdt's place, so I don't know where they are. I don't want to ask Connie and Sasha for anything with a baby who isn't even a month old yet in the house. So that leaves…"

Levi rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. "I just had to insist on going out tonight," he muttered. "What about someone like Zita?" he asked in a normal, if somewhat pushy voice.

"I thought about her, too," Eren replied, "but she's not available tonight."

Levi groaned and rolled his eyes. "Okay, fine," he finally agreed, though the words were spoken in a way that resembled admitting defeat. He walked past Eren and opened the front door, motioning for him and their son to follow. "C'mon, let's get going." He took their son's hand and waited for Eren to close and lock their front door. As soon as they were set, they started heading to the other side of town.

When they arrived at the Reiss house, Levi knocked on the door first. After a beat of silence, it opened to reveal Ymir wearing a wide grin. "Well, HELLO THERE, dear Jaeger family!" she said a little too enthusiastically. She then looked down at the littlest family member and said, "Hey, little man, we gonna have fun this evening or what?"

"Hi there!" Historia greeted, appearing behind her wife and smiling a bit more normally. "Don't worry about a thing, we'll take good care of him."

Levi was hesitant to respond at first. "Please behave yourselves," he finally deadpanned.

"Of COURSE," Ymir not-so-sincerely said, reaching out her hand towards the little boy. "C'mon, little man, let's go have some fun."

The boy nodded. "Have fun on your date, Papa, Daddy."

Eren smiled. "We will. Be a good boy." He kissed his son's forehead. "We'll come pick you up later tonight."

Levi bent down to give his son a long hug before ushering him through the doorway. "See you later, baby." He stood back up, gave Ymir and Historia a skeptical look, and then turned, taking Eren's hand as he heard the door shut behind them.

Eren frowned. "What's wrong?" he asked. "What do you have against Ymir and Historia?"

Levi glanced back at the house to make sure the door was closed before saying, "I don't entirely trust them. Why should I? Ymir withheld information from us for the longest time. I don't know what she was trying to accomplish, and I still don't understand how she thinks. She's hard to read. I can never tell if she's being sincere or lying for her own personal gain. And Historia just goes along with it. Even if Ymir were to wage a war against humanity, Historia would go along with her. She wouldn't even question her motives or her actions. And I don't like the fact that we don't keep tabs on them the way we do with Annie, Reiner, and Bertholdt. Ymir didn't even have any jail time for helping them!"

Eren had to admit that his husband had several good points. "I agree that it was wrong to not give Ymir any jail time, but that was only because Historia convinced Zackley that she hadn't saved Reiner and Bertholdt with the intention to overthrow humanity. Any word of the Reiss family's is powerful." With Eren's growth and role in parenthood had come some serious maturity.

Levi narrowed his eyes and glared up at his husband, unamused. "Even if none of that had happened, Ymir broke into our house and tried to host an unwanted baby shower."

_Ah yes, and that's just unforgivable,_ Eren thought, rolling his eyes. He took his husband's hand, offered a smile, and said, "Let's forget about all that for now and go out on our date. Maybe we can splurge for a second dessert later…"

And Levi, unable to resist, just shook his head and leaned against Eren's large frame with a sigh. "You're lucky I love you, you damn brat."

* * *

Ymir hoisted the little boy into her arms and spun around right there in the front hall of her and Historia's house. "Welcome to our humble abode, little man!" she cheered, loving the way the child clung to her shoulders and laughed out loud. "We might only have you for a few hours, but it's gonna be a great few hours!"

"Since you're our special guest, we're gonna make meat for dinner," Historia added as she headed towards the kitchen. "As soon as your daddy asked us to watch you, we ran out and bought a whole chicken. Is that okay?"

"Yeah!" the boy cheered, slightly out of breath. "I like chicken!"

"Good," Historia replied, tying an apron around her waist. "You can go play with Ymir while I cook."

The boy hummed at this thought but then said, "Can I help you?"

"Eh? You want to help?"

The boy nodded. "I helped Aunt Sasha cook once, and it was really fun. We made a care package with a bowl of stew for Papa while he was in the hospital."

"Oh, after THAT expedition," Ymir groaned, setting the boy down. "That expedition sucked."

Historia smiled. "You can help if you want, sweetheart," she said, pulling another apron from the closet. She hesitated for a moment and then pulled a third one, handing it to Ymir. "You don't get to laze around while we do all the work."

Ymir groaned loudly but took the apron anyway. In the same way Levi couldn't resist Eren's beautiful eyes, Ymir couldn't resist Historia's smile.

While Historia went to work preparing the chicken, Ymir and their little houseguest started washing and peeling the vegetables. The three were quiet for a few minutes until the little boy realized something. "Hey, Aunt Ymir," he said, "you're a girl and you're married to a girl. What do girls like to do on dates?"

"Huh?" Ymir asked back. "Why do you want to know?"

"Because I'm going to ask Aoife on a date when we're all grown up."

Ymir's confusion turned into a full grin. She looked as if she was scheming something. "Is that so? So you like girls, huh? Good, girls are awesome. Your house needs more girls, it's got too many sausages."

"…What?"

"Ignore Aunt Ymir," Historia said.

"Nah, don't ignore me, little man!" the brunette laughed, wrapping an arm around the boy's shoulders. "I'll tell you everything you could ever want to know about girls! Well, most of my knowledge is based on Aunt Historia. She's the only one who actually matters to me, you know, but girls are great! And if anyone tells you otherwise, they don't understand girls."

"…Are girls really that different from boys?" the child asked skeptically. "Aren't they all people?"

"Yes, they are," Historia said before Ymir could reply. "The one thing you need to remember about girls is that they are people, just like boys. Each girl is different in the same way each boy is different. Each one has a different personality, and each one has different likes and dislikes. You can't lump them all into one category and think they're all the same. Aoife might be Aunt Sasha's daughter, but Aoife will be different than Aunt Sasha when she grows up. She'll be her own person, just like any other boy or girl out there."

Ymir shrugged, still grinning. "Girls are just more awesome. That's why I married one."

The boy looked at Ymir, confused. "Then…what about the sausages? Is that like the cucumber thing?"

Silence.

Ymir burst out laughing.

"CUCUMBER THING?! OH MY GOD, IS THAT WHAT EREN AND LEVI CALL IT? HOLY CRAP!" She clutched at her stomach and laughed so hard she actually fell over. "They're such idiots, you don't need a goddamn cucumber!"

"Wait, what?!"

"Oh god, kid, it's a good thing you got out of that house when you did. Hang on, lemme take the seed out of a peach and I'll show you."

"YMIR, STEP AWAY FROM THE FRUIT BOWL."

"I'm so confused…"

"Don't worry, sweetheart, Aunt Ymir is just being stupid."

"Then tell me why you were moaning like a—"

"GODDAMMIT, YMIR."

The boy shook his head. "Grown-ups are so weird."

* * *

After a relatively calm dinner (which was delayed due to Historia smacking Ymir upside the head and lecturing her like she was her misbehaving daughter, much to the actual child in the situation's confusion), Historia washed the dishes while Ymir offered to play a game with their houseguest. She was a little disappointed when the boy merely asked for some paper and a pen, but he explained that he was in the mood to draw. Shrugging, Ymir sat by and watched.

"Wow, you're good, kid," she complimented. And he really was. Like the drawings hanging up in the Jaeger house's kitchen, the people in the boy's drawings all had distinct (though simplified) features, and the backgrounds were a little more complex than in the typical art children did.

The boy smiled. "Thank you." He finished the character he was working on and then moved on to draw something bigger.

It caught Ymir's eye. "Is that a Titan?"

After a short pause, the boy nodded. "It's my daddy's Titan."

Historia halted her movements and looked over her shoulder. She and Ymir locked eyes for a moment before Ymir turned back to the boy and said, "Hm, we had heard that the secret was out."

The boy gripped the pen a little harder. "It…was really scary at first. And I was angry and sad and scared at the same time because bad Titans and bad people were chasing us, and Daddy transformed to save Papa and me. And then when we came back inside the Walls, I found out that everyone knew about Daddy's Titan except me, so I was really sad and scared and mad and confused…and I yelled a lot and…" He trailed off and rubbed his eyes before composing himself and continuing, "But…I have this one toy, it's my favorite toy, and I realized that it was a toy of Daddy's Titan. Daddy and Papa told me that it would always protect me, and my daddy is still my daddy. He takes care of me and loves me, so he couldn't be bad. He told me that he uses his Titan to protect people, so…I'm still a little afraid of it, but I know it's not bad." He nodded once and went back to his drawing.

Ymir grinned at his story. "That's real mature of you," she said, sounding the most sincere she had all day. "It takes a lot of guts to look past how scary something looks and see what it really is."

The boy offered a small smile. "Daddy and Papa are both good no matter what anyone says or how they look."

"Well, it's good that you think that, because I've got a Titan form, too."

Historia dropped the dish she was washing into the sink and whipped around. "Ymir!"

The boy jerked his head up and stared at the brunette with wide eyes. His voice was shaky when he spoke. "Y-You have a Titan, Aunt Ymir?"

Ymir nodded. "Yeah, you should see the thing. It's not big but it's got these long arms with claws, so I can jump around all over the place faster than any 3D Maneuver Gear. Its head is stupidly big, but it's got these multiple rows of sharp teeth, so I can rip the necks right off any Titans that try to hurt my Historia! Aw man, it's so cool, I'll show it to you sometime." She said her words so casually and rested against the couch pillows as if this was the most normal conversation to be having with a child.

Historia shifted her gaze to the boy to see how he would react. After a long pause, her look shifted from worry to confusion, as the boy was smiling softly. "You said that you use it to protect Historia," he said quietly. "That makes yours good, too."

Ymir's grin widened.

* * *

Eren and Levi came to pick their son up about an hour and a half later. The boy was half-asleep but still murmured a quiet "Daddy" when Eren picked him up and settled him in his arms. Eren smiled at him and then looked at the two women inside the house. "Thank you."

"Anytime," Historia said, smiling back. "We had fun! He helped cook dinner, we drew pictures, and we played a few games before he started to fall asleep." She held up the drawings. "Here, in case he wants to take them home."

"Heh, he has a whole gallery in our kitchen," Eren replied as Levi took the pictures. "He drew a picture of you two once. Armin told him about what a book said was in the outside world, and he drew the two of you in a place made out of ice."

Historia giggled. "Aw, how cute."

"So my gift worked, huh?"

Levi's narrow eyes shot up towards Ymir, the brunette grinning victoriously. He gave her the type of look that said, "Shut your mouth."

"Ah-hah, I knew it!" she continued on, voice giddy with excitement. "I told you that it would come in handy! But did you believe me? Noooo. Heh…oh, by the way, my secret's out, too. I told him about my Titan."

Both Eren and Levi jumped at that, eyes wide and jaws dropped. "You did WHAT?!"

"Ah, he took it better than the lot of you," Ymir said, rolling her eyes. "Lighten up." She took another moment to savor the men's stunned faces before taking a hold of the door, offered a quick "good night, get home safe!," and closed the door in their faces with a smile, very satisfied with herself.

Historia eyed her. "Really."

"Yeah, really," her wife said back, "don't you worry, I know what I'm doing. I always do."

"Uh-huuuuuh."

"Yup."

_"HELLOOOOOOOO! AUNTIE YMIR IS HERE WITH A BABY SHOWER AND PRESENTS FOR MAMA LEVI AND HIS TITAN SPAWN!"_

_Eren and Levi jumped out of their seats at the sound of their front door slamming open. In walked none other than Ymir carrying a box full of wrapped gifts, Historia following behind her with a smaller box. Ymir grinned triumphantly at the Jaegers and made herself right at home, dropping the box on the nearby coffee table and unloading it. "Okay, I've got a box of baby clothes in here somewhere, a plate full of the weirdest food combos I could think of for cravings…you still puking your guts up? No? Ah, good. Anyway—"_

_"GET THE HELL OUT OF MY HOUSE." Levi said threateningly as he stood up, arms crossed, and glared down at the brunette with a look he usually reserved for killing Titans. A feral growl rumbled in his throat when Ymir tried to stifle a laugh._

_"I'm sorry, you're Humanity's Strongest, and you're, like, eight months pregnant, and it's hilarious."_

_"…Eren."_

_Eren jerked his head towards his fellow Shifter. "Ymir, if you want to live, I suggest you run. Trust me, he can still kill you even like this."_

_Ymir tried to stifle more laughter. "Now I'm imagining him trying to buckle the harness with his belly in the way and…pfft—" She jumped up, still laughing, when Levi started moving and Eren jumped up to hold him back. "Whoa, whoa, just hear me out, okay? C'mon, I bought all this crap for you."_

_"No, you didn't," Historia muttered, setting her own box down after (finally) closing the front door. "I made that one toy."_

_"I helped!"_

_"You sewed one eye on that I had to redo."_

_"…Yeah, okay," Ymir agreed, nodding. She picked one gift out of the box and handed it to Levi. "If nothing else, just open this one, okay? Yes, yes, you're not having a baby shower, but I heard that Armin stopped by with presents a while back, so just accept this one, okay?" She gave them a comically hopeful smile, and, when silence filled the house, Historia grabbed her girlfriend by the arm and dragged her out of it._

_Levi was the first to speak. "I'm going to kill Ymir."_

_"Please don't."_

_"I specifically said that I didn't want a baby shower, and she goes and tries to host one! And what the hell is up with these gifts?"_

_"She was just trying to be nice…"_

_Shaking his head, Levi opened the gift she had insisted he open. His eyes widened. "Oh my god, look at this hideous thing. Is this a joke?" He pulled out a toy, a cute, cuddly version of Eren's Titan form, complete with a huggable body, soft, widespread arms, and a sweet, welcoming smile._

_Eren was hesitant to speak at first. "Her sense of humor has always been sick."_

_"She needs some serious help."_

_"Agreed."_

"I just figured, hey, they would already need to give the kid The Awkward Sex Talk, right? Why not avoid The Awkward 'Your Dad is a Titan Shifter' Talk and make life a little easier?"

Historia gave her wife a deadpan stare and shook her head.

"Amazing."

* * *

Nile packed the stack of papers on his desk together, avoiding eye contact with the person standing across from him. Annie shifted in her spot, not so much nervously but more in question, as she had not been given any reason as to why the Commander had summoned her. Still though, she waited patiently, Captain Marlowe and Squad Leader Hitch watching her from across the room.

At last, Nile set the stack of papers down and looked up at Annie. "You've caused quite a stir in the past few months, Soldier Leonhart," he said.

Annie flinched slightly. She knew what she had done since March. Giving away Military Police information, spying on fellow soldiers, acting against and without orders, aiming her rifle at civilians, none of it looked good on her already tarnished track record. She kept her cool exterior despite the guilty feeling dropping into her stomach.

But Nile didn't look all that angry. "Normally, a soldier who had committed as many crimes and acts of insubordination as you would have been expelled from all branches of the military a long time ago. In fact, the only reason you're still here at all is because you helped humanity in the end and because your most recent actions saved lives. Captain Marlowe especially has made note of them."

Marlowe smiled. "Soldier Leonhart was also at the Supreme Commander's assigned mission to rescue the children from underground."

Nile nodded. "Noted. So you see, Soldier Leonhart, while you may have stepped out of line on several occasions, I cannot fault you for any of them. Military Police serve the King, and the King is nothing without his people. I believe that's what the Supreme Commander said, but you put that into your actions before he even was Supreme Commander." Nile's smile widened slightly. "As a result, I'm offering you a position higher up within the Military Police."

Annie's eyes widened. "What?"

"I thought we'd team you up with Squad Leader Hitch and put you under Captain Marlowe's watch. If you prove yourself, we'll promote you to Squad Leader." Nile placed his elbows on his desk and rested his chin on top of his hands. "So? What do you think?"

Annie stared at the Commander in silence for a long moment. She then turned her gaze towards Marlowe, who shrugged with a smile. Hitch just grinned. Annie then turned back to the Commander and dropped her head.

"Please excuse me, Commander, but I can't accept that offer."

Nile's eyes widened and his smile disappeared. "Hmm? Why not?"

Annie looked back up at him. "Sir…I don't feel comfortable accepting that offer. I understand your reasoning, but…" Her jaw tensed and she let out a sigh. "I…I want to be a normal soldier. I don't think it would be good for morale for the rest of the military to see me in a higher position, so I…"

"If that's the way you feel, then I understand," Nile said, much to Annie's relief. She had never really been one for expressing herself anyway. With a shrug, he continued, "You're dismissed. I expect to see you back in your usual position on Monday."

Annie saluted him. "Thank you, Sir." And she turned and left.

Outside the Military Police HQ building in Stohess, Armin waited for her. He looked up when the front doors opened and ran to her, a smile spreading across his face. "There you are, I was wondering when you would get out."

"Sorry," she replied as she shut the door behind her.

"So what did Commander Nile want to talk about?"

"…I'd rather not say."

Armin nodded. "Okay, that's fine. Are you hungry? It's late and we haven't eaten dinner yet. The pubs are all open if you feel like drinking."

"Actually, I do," Annie said, giving Armin her hand when he offered his. She rested her head against his shoulder as they walked into the downtown area, Annie's thoughts racing the whole time.  _I'd be a terrible Squad Leader. I didn't do any of those things for the people. Everything I did, everything I do nowadays, is all for that little boy, all because he smiled at me and put a flower in my hair and told me that I was pretty. Even now, everything is for my own selfish gain, but I can't help it. He makes me want to be better._

Armin just took his hand away from Annie's and wrapped it around her shoulders. His free hand went into his pocket, where he played with a small box.

* * *

"I think you look very handsome, Jean sweetie."

"Mom."

"What? I'm allowed to think that my boy is handsome." Mrs. Kirchstein pinched her son's cheeks just as there was a knock at the front door. She hurried down the stairs to open it, only to smile at the woman standing there. "Hello, Mikasa, you look quite beautiful this evening."

Mikasa brought her scarf up to her face in embarrassment and smiled beneath it, not used to such compliments. She wore a red dress that matched her scarf that night, and it was the best (and only) dress she owned. "Thank you," she said, "is Jean ready?"

At that moment, Jean came down the stairs, fixing his jacket and grinning sheepishly at his date. "Right here," he said, holding his hand out for her. "Shall we get going?" His cheeks flushed slightly when Mikasa nodded and took his hand.

"Have fun, you two!" Mrs. Kirchstein called from doorway as the two headed out.

Jean couldn't help the embarrassed laugh that escaped his lips. "Sorry, this is awkward."

"No, it's fun," Mikasa insisted. "I like this, I like doing things this way." For the first time in years, she felt young. She felt like a woman. She felt happiness. If being Jean's date felt this good, she could only imagine what being his girlfriend would feel like. And perhaps what being his wife would…she stopped herself. It was just a date, nothing more, but she couldn't deny the hopeful feeling in her heart.

When a warm wind blew through the night air and enveloped the two, brining them closer together, Jean glanced back and smiled before turning back to his date.

* * *

"Mr. Bertholdt Fubar-Braun."

Laughter.

"Mr. Bertholdt Fubar-Braun!"

"Reiner, stop!" Bertholdt playfully pleaded as Reiner hugged him impossibly closer.

The blond grinned. "Never, Mr. Bertholdt Fubar-Braun."

"Oh my god, stop," Bertholdt laughed out, covering his bright red face with his hands. He wasn't sweating.

The two stood in their hotel room, a bottle of wine and a plate of bakery treats waiting on a small table near a window with a fabulous view of Zhiganshina lit up at night. In front of them was their bed, which neither could wait to get to.

Reiner grasped at his partner's left hand and brought it to his mouth, kissing the ring there that matched his own. "I love you, Mr. Bertholdt Fubar-Braun."

Bertholdt's heart swelled.

"I love you, too, Mr. Reiner Fubar-Braun."

* * *

Connie closed the door to the nursery and let out a relieved sigh. "She's finally asleep," he whispered. He turned to head back to the master bedroom where Sasha was sleeping only to find her father awake on the couch.

"Sir?"

"Ah, I thought we were past the formalities," the man said quietly. "I'm your dad now."

Connie smiled sadly. "Alright, Dad."

The man grinned. "That's right, come here." He moved over so Connie could sit down next to him, and he wrapped an arm around his son-in-law's shoulders. "I gotta head back to the village tomorrow. I really dun want to though. I'd love to spend the rest of my days here with you and Sasha and Aoife, but I gotta let you two be parents. Besides, I gotta brag to all the other villagers 'bout how I got the prettiest granddaughter in all o' humanity. They're gonna be so jealous."

Connie grinned back. "Yeah, go show off for us."

Mr. Braus nodded and the two sat in a comfortable silence for about a minute. Then the older man spoke again. "Connie, boy, Sasha told me all about how you lost your mom and your village. I'm real sorry for your loss, and I just wanted to let you know that you should consider yourself a member of my village now. I know Sasha and Aoife and I can't replace your family, but by god, we'll do everything we can to make you happy. And if you ever need to talk, come straight to me, okay? I dunno if I'll be able to help you out with any o' your problems, but I'll listen to whatever you gotta say."

Connie couldn't respond. He was in tears. Grateful tears.

From the master bedroom, Sasha just smiled and rolled over to go back to sleep.

* * *

Zita yawned as she closed the book in front of her, pushing it towards a stack of books on the other side of the table. She looked across the library to see Moblit sleeping against the wall, books scattered all over the floor and an anxious expression on his face, as if subconsciously waiting for Hanji to do something crazy. Zita smiled sympathetically and got up to look for said crazy person.

She found her sitting against a shelf surrounded by books, wide awake and excitedly going over each line. "I'm going to go to bed, Hanji," the younger woman said tiredly.

Hanji looked up with a grin. "Alright, good night," she said as she flipped a page.

Zita nodded and left the Survey Corps HQ's library, heading towards one of the vacant bedrooms. She still couldn't believe that she was there, that she was friends with someone like Squad Leader Hanji Zoe and had access to such an amazing library. Despite how incredible it sounded, it wasn't a dream, and she would need the knowledge her new friend and the expansive room offered.

_"He wanted me to find a family for that baby. I told him that HE was the right family for her, that HE could take care of her, but—!"_

_Erwin sighed and shook his head, listening to Zita's story. "That Levi will never cease to amaze me, I swear," he said, going through the report for the underground rescue mission. Every single child the Military Police had brought above ground had either joined the Trainees or found a home, including the sick, injured baby Levi had rescued himself. The program had been a rousing success, and Erwin's popularity had never been higher. Levi's plan had worked._

_But Zita still wasn't satisfied. "I did tell him that he should name her though, even if he wasn't going to adopt her. He named her Marvelle. The couple that did adopt her fell in love with her at first sight. I know they'll take good care of her, but…"_

_"Zita, let me tell you something," Erwin said as he filed the report away into a desk drawer. He then turned all his attention towards Zita and, smiling, continued, "I've known Levi for a very long time, and I've never seen him this happy. I think I know what he was thinking when he told you to find her a good family. All you need to know is that you did your job and that you did it well. I'm very impressed. You have my respect."_

_Zita's cheeks lit up bright pink. "Thank you, Sir."_

_"And I wanted to offer you something," the blond continued, voice firm but also friendly. "Miss Zita, I was wondering if you'd accept a position within the military specifically to deliver babies born to military families."_

_Zita felt all the air escape from her lungs. "Wh…What?"_

_"With some training, I think you'll be a fantastic midwife," Erwin explained. "You've already proven that you have the resolve of a soldier, but your hands aren't supposed to kill. Your hands are meant to bring life into this world, to help people and bring people hope. Isn't that what your father thought when he and your mother named you?"_

_Zita's bottom lip quivered._

_Erwin smiled gently. "So? What do you say?"_

_"I'll do it!" Zita said through tears, saluting the Supreme Commander perfectly, just as the greatest of soldiers did. "I'll do it, Sir, I'll do it! And I swear by this salute, I will make sure that every single baby born into this world at my hands is healthy! I will bring life and happiness into this world and into the lives of every single one of my patients!" She was openly sobbing through her words, but her words were firm and serious._

_Erwin nodded, still smiling. "I'm glad to hear that. I look forward to working with you."_

_"Yes," Zita gasped out, her salute finally crumbling as she brought her hands to her face, "thank you, Sir, I look forward to working with you, too, with you and the Commander and Hanji—"_

_"That's the same person."_

_Zita jerked up to stare at the Supreme Commander, her own tears completely forgotten. "What…?"_

_"I'm going to honorably discharge the current Survey Corps Commander. He's not right for the job. I'll tell her soon. Your new Commander will be Hanji Zoe."_

Zita stared dreamily out her bedroom window.

"Father," she said peacefully, "I miss you. So much has happened since you left, but I'm happy. I'm more than happy. Thank you for everything you did. I swear I'll make you proud."

* * *

With his son settled in bed, Levi headed back to his own room to cuddle with Eren, but not before he turned back to the sleeping boy and smiled.

_"Zita, I have one of my own. I want you to give her to a couple that can't have children. Please, let them know this happiness that I know. I'll miss her, sure, but I'm the only one who understands how all these children feel. I'm the only one who knows what they've all suffered through. I'll love them all and watch over all of them from afar."_

Levi closed his son's bedroom door.

"They'll ALL be my children."


	43. Titan Story

Hanji's inauguration ceremony as Survey Corps Commander happened a few days later. Every Survey Corps soldier who could attended the event at the Wall Rose HQ building, all dressed in their uniforms. It was a short ceremony, complete with Hanji saluting Erwin and the soldiers saluting her. All of it felt surreal to Hanji as she swore her heart to the cause. Taking on the role Erwin once had and suddenly realizing that she was Levi's superior when she spotted him in the audience made her normally high-functioning brain come to a screeching halt.

The world had truly changed, and Levi could only hope that it was for the better.

"I'd be a terrible commander anyway," he said as he and Eren headed over to the nearby training grounds after the ceremony to see the new recruits.

Eren gave a small shrug. "I don't think so, but I'm biased."

"I can't make decisions the way those two can. If all decisions were left up to me, we'd all be at a standstill. Still, I don't know if Hanji can make decisions the way Erwin can. I trust Erwin's judgement, but I hope the stress of the job doesn't get to her."

Eren frowned and put an arm around Levi's shoulders. "I don't know. We'll have to wait and see."

Levi leaned into his husband's embrace as they kept walking, both knowing the reality of their situation. Really, it was to be expected, and it was necessary. They were Survey Corps soldiers after all, so, no matter what their personal lives were like, they had a job to do. Humanity's Hope and Humanity's Strongest couldn't run away, it just couldn't happen. And both knew, without having to say anything, that the future, as incredible as it might be, would be difficult, that they wouldn't be there to watch every moment of their baby boy growing up.

_We'll be going on a lot more expeditions._

Eren smiled once they came upon the training grounds. It was late in the afternoon by the time they had arrived, but the new recruits were still standing in their perfectly organized lines, all trying to keep a straight face. Chances were good that they had been standing out there all day, the instructors watching them closely as none other than Keith Shadis made his usual rounds.

"So he's still at it, huh?" Eren asked one of the supervisors after they saluted one another.

The old soldier nodded, something of a nostalgic smile on his face. "I don't know if he particularly enjoys shouting at the newbies, but we've never had anyone quite like him, and I don't think we ever will. Since he started this whole 'rite of passage,' we've lost more newcomers earlier on in training, but the soldiers who have endured it have gone on to be better skilled and live longer. We certainly don't want to change that." He turned to look back at the recruits upon realizing that Keith had been strangely quiet for the past few minutes, only to realize that he was skipping several of the young people lined up. "Ah yes, and that's the exception to the rite of passage right there. Even from a distance, I can tell that many of the recruits don't need it this year." He looked back at Levi, who stared out at the recruits with a neutral expression. "Several of them are following in your footsteps, aren't they, Lance Corporal?"

After a short pause, Levi nodded.

The old soldier turned back to Eren. "Did you know that your husband here was the first recruit ever not to crumble under Mr. Shadis's taunts? Because of him, we made the exception to the rite of passage."

Eren's eyes widened. "No, I didn't know that. I didn't need the rite either, but…"

The old soldier kept smiling. "Perhaps you really are made for each other then. Now, if you'll excuse me." He saluted the two of them and headed off towards the main building.

Eren looked down at Levi, who was still staring at the field full of recruits. Keith had been silent for several minutes now.

"They're all children from the underground."

Eren's eyes saddened and he, too, stared at the field of recruits. "I should have guessed. Their looks are different. But I didn't think there would be so many. What, almost half of them are from the underground?"

Levi nodded. "They've already seen hell, so Shadis is nothing to them. Zita told me all about this while I was working with her and Erwin in Wall Sina after the operation ended. Many children were old enough to join the trainees, so they were given that option instead of adoption. Most took it, which I guess is for the best. Many older children and teenagers in the underground were gang members and probably wouldn't be able to adapt to domestic family life. And, hey, the military isn't so bad. You're guaranteed at least two meals a day, a cot to sleep in, and a change of clothes no matter which branch you enter, which is already a major step up from the underground. Plus, with all this pent-up aggression they have, most of them will probably join the Survey Corps. We might have a record number of new soldiers three years from now."

Eren knew that this was a good thing for Survey Corps, which had always had the smallest attendance with the highest death rate among the three military branches, but he couldn't be happy. Now that he was older, he could understand his mother's words and why she hadn't wanted him to join the Corps. Even if these young people didn't have families the way he had, the thought of them being sent into Titan territory as nothing but fodder made his heart clench.

Now it was Levi's turn to put an arm around his husband (though he could only reach Eren's waist). "Better to die on the battlefield as a soldier than as a forgotten nobody in the underground."

* * *

Eren and Levi returned to Zhiganshina about a day and a half later. They picked their son up from the babysitter, a kind, older woman who lived a few houses down from them, and settled themselves back in their home. For the most part, life resumed normally, but a slight tension hung in the air every time anything work-related was mentioned. And, of course, the littlest Jaeger was way too smart not to notice it.

"Papa, did something happen at Aunt Hanji's ceremony?" he asked one afternoon. It had been a quiet day, as Eren had gone out with Armin to celebrate his engagement to Annie, leaving Levi and their son on their own. Levi had been content to sit in the living room's most comfortable arm chair and read while his son played nearby, but apparently the boy was having none of that.

Levi sighed and put his book down, patting his lap as he did so. The boy got the message and climbed into the chair, where Levi tried to settle him against his chest, but something was off.  _I don't remember him being this heavy last time he sat on my lap. And since when were his legs almost as long as this chair is wide?_ But the boy's face was as sweet and child-like as ever, so Levi tried not to think about that. "Aunt Hanji is the Survey Corps Commander now," he explained as the boy rested his head on his shoulder. "We haven't gone on a lot of expeditions since the previous Commander came to power, which was great because we got to spend a lot of time at home with you, but now that Aunt Hanji is in power…"

He didn't have to finish. The child understood. He clung to Levi's button-down shirt and snuggled against his neck. "You'll be gone a lot more."

Levi kissed his son's head. "Yes."

The boy's grip on his shirt tightened, and Levi heard a sort of defeated sigh escape his son's lips. "Well, that's your job," the child replied. "If you stay at home all the time, we'll never live outside the Walls."

Levi nodded. "That's right."

"…Papa?"

"Hmm?"

"I don't want to be a soldier when I grow up."

"And you don't have to be," Levi replied quickly. "Just because Daddy and I are soldiers doesn't mean you have to be a soldier, too. You can be whatever you want to be. There are lots of important jobs outside the military. You could be a businessman and have your own shop, you could be an artist and make things like tables, chairs, and beds for people's homes, or you could be a stay-at-home daddy if you have your own children. And there are lots of jobs related to the military other than being a soldier. We always need people to make our uniforms, and we need people to make 3D Maneuver Gear." He paused to kiss his son's head again. "Whatever you decide to do, it'll be important, so Daddy and I will support you. But you still have a lot of time before you grow up, so you don't have to think too hard about that yet. And, with any luck, there will be no need for a military by the time you grow up."

The boy smiled at that thought, but the smile faded mere moments later. "Papa," he said, "if there's no need for a military, that means that the Titans will be all gone, right? …What about Daddy and Aunt Ymir? Will they be gone, too?"

Levi suddenly wrapped both arms around his son and held him close like his own little security blanket.  _You're too smart for your own good. Hanji's experiments are the least of my worries,_  he thought. _But I can't just sit here and hold you like this forever. How can I protect you while letting you live your own life?_ "No," he finally said, "Daddy and Aunt Ymir won't be gone. They're humans, not Titans."

The boy nodded. "That's good."

They sat in silence for a few more minutes.

"Papa?"

"Hmm?"

"A long time ago, I asked you about the first time you kissed Daddy, but you said that you couldn't tell me the story. Was that because it had something to do with Daddy's Titan?"

Levi's grip tightened.  _Way too smart for your own good._ "Yes, and I'm sorry. Daddy and I shouldn't have kept that from you."

"It's okay. …Would you tell it to me now?"

Levi bit his lip. "It's kind of a scary story."

The boy snuggled impossibly closer. "It's okay because you're here. It's not scary if you're here."

"…Alright, but I don't even remember all the details myself."

_In fact, my only solid memories start when I saw Eren collapse in his Titan form. We were in Zhiganshina, so damn close to that damn basement. We had gone through what we thought had been hell, and we were standing in front of the old Jaeger house._

_Then we heard a crash, and, next thing I knew, Titans swarmed the town all over again, led by none other than that goddamn Beast Titan._

_I vaguely remember the bloody battle. Erwin was still the Commander at the time, despite his disability. He once said that he wanted to see out the mission to get to Zhiganshina to the end, so he led us in what many Survey Corps soldier today consider our final true struggle. Even Hanji, who was usually so excited to go into Titan territory, was terrified, tears welling up in her eyes as she and Moblit embraced each other before charging into battle._

_And then, out of nowhere, I heard Armin scream, but he didn't sound scared. I turned and my stomach dropped, as Reiner and Bertholdt were just standing there, frozen in their spots and watching the scene. Then I saw something move out of the corner of my eye, and Ymir was fighting alongside Survey Corps soldiers as a Titan. Before I left to join them, I heard Armin scream again._

_"IF YOU REALLY WANT TO PROVE THAT YOU'RE NOT OUR ENEMIES, YOU CAN DO IT RIGHT NOW AND FIGHT WITH US!"_

_And then the true hell began. It must have been so bad, worse than any other battle I can remember having, because I can barely remember any of it. I often wonder if I unconsciously suppressed my memories. Eren just can't remember anything from before he woke up._

_I don't remember how we won. I don't even remember if we won. Did we kill the Beast Titan? Did it escape? All I do know is that, with all of us fighting, all the Survey Corps soldiers alongside four of the Titan Shifters, with Eren using his Titan-controlling ability, we managed to fight back. We fought back with everything he had, all determined not to let soldiers' deaths be in vain._

_And we sealed Wall Maria._

_I watched Eren collapse. Reiner, Bertholdt, and Ymir were all okay, still standing at least, but Eren was exhausted. His body began to steam, and Mikasa and I ran for him, Armin not far behind. I heard Mikasa call out for Eren over and over, and I wanted to call out for him, too, but I couldn't speak. It was hard to breathe, and my body had been pushed to the limit, but I didn't stop. All I could think was "I have to get to Eren."_

_Mikasa and I jumped up onto Eren's back, rushing towards his neck. Armin was in tears, shouting about how we had to cut him out before he fused with the Titan flesh beyond repair. I didn't want to imagine that. We'd be able to pull Eren out of there, right? And, if we did need to cut him out, he'd repair himself, right?_

_Out of nowhere, my voice came back, and I joined Mikasa in slicing up the nape. "No way, you little brat, there's no way in hell I'm losing you, too," I said, just loud enough for Mikasa to hear. "No, no, I've already lost damn near everyone who ever meant anything to me. I'm not losing you on top of all of them! Dammit, Eren, you're all I have left in this world, so don't you dare die on me."_

_Finally, we pulled him out, but he was unrecognizable. All of his limbs were gone, and his torso seemed to have dissolved around the edges. His neck was weak, and his head was too heavy for him to support. Most of his hair was gone, and his face was mangled, the skin having been burned off. He was barely breathing, and what remained of his body was on fire._

_Rare tears welled up in my eyes, and I watched Mikasa and Armin scream and carry him away. "Come on, your Titan powers have to be healing you, they just have to." The Titan corpse was burning me through my uniform, but I could barely feel it. "Dammit, Eren, dammit, dammit, DAMMIT, EREN JAEGER, I LOVE YOU!"_

* * *

_It took a week for Eren's body to heal completely. Armin and Mikasa watched over him as often as they could, with Jean, Connie, and Sasha stepping in whenever they were summoned by the higher ups._

_In the meantime, humanity was trying to make sense out of what had happened. Upon arriving in Wall Sina, we discovered that Annie had woken up and escaped from her crystal prison. She, Reiner, and Bertholdt were thrown in prison until their trial, and they were thrown back in prison for years after it. Ymir escaped prison thanks to Historia, explaining that Ymir's actions had not been motivated by the desire to harm humanity. Hanji, Erwin, the rest of the officers, and I worked round the clock to sort the situation out. We were only lucky that Zackley had decided to side with us, ordering the Military Police and the Garrison to work with us to rebuild Wall Maria's cities. We worked with civilian architects for months, and, one by one, the towns came back to life, and people moved back to them. I suppose that we bounced back in the best way._

_But that first week of being away from Eren was torture. I didn't even have a spare moment to see him until the end of the week. When I finally came to his room, I found Jean there, and I asked him to give me a moment._

_I'm not proud of what I did next. I leaned over Eren's bed and kissed him._

_He woke up._

_"…Corporal."_

_I was hesitant to respond._

_"…I love you, Corporal."_

_"Levi," I said. "Call me Levi, Eren, when it's just us."_

"And you know what happened next," Levi continued. "Daddy turned eighteen, we moved in together, we got married, and then we had you."

His son made a quiet whimpering noise, and Levi was worried that he had upset him, but the boy just said, "Why did you feel bad about kissing Daddy?"

"Because I kissed him without his permission, and that's wrong."

"…Why did you do it if it was wrong?"

Levi sighed heavily and loosened his grip on his son. "Because I felt like if I didn't right then and there, I'd never get another chance. It was so selfish of me, but I had just watched him nearly die, so…" He shook his head. "No, no excuses. It wasn't okay. Promise me you won't ever do that, okay, baby? If you do take Aoife out on a date someday, you only kiss her if she says it's okay."

The boy nodded. "Okay."

* * *

The little boy was quiet at the breakfast table the next morning. Levi wondered if perhaps he shouldn't have told him the story he had the previous afternoon, especially since his son had been so quiet even after Eren had gotten home. What was the boy thinking about? Was he disappointed in his papa? Levi just sighed lightly as he scooped porridge into his son's bowl and said, "There you go, eat up."

He was a little concerned when his son didn't start eating right away. "Papa, are you and Daddy busy today?"

Eren looked up from his own breakfast as Levi shook his head. "No, today is a free day. Why?"

The boy squirmed in his seat, staring down into his porridge like it was the most interesting thing he had ever seen. He glanced upwards only momentarily, biting his lip as he seemed to be gathering his courage and finding his voice. "I…was wondering…" he finally said, "…if we could go out. Daddy, I…" He brought his fingers to his lips and whimpered, looking away shyly. "I…I want…"

"What is it, baby, what do you want to do?" Eren asked in his gentlest voice.

"I…I want to…meet your Titan."

Eren dropped his spoon into his bowl, and Levi nearly dropped the entire pot of porridge.

Their son's bottom lip trembled, but he managed to hold himself together. With a deep breath, he said, "I don't want to be afraid of it."

Eren looked his son guiltily, wishing they didn't have to be having this conversation. "It's a scary thing, baby."

"But it's not bad, right?"

"No, but—"

"Then I want to meet it for real, so that I know it's good."

Eren and Levi looked at each other, having an entire conversation without needing to say a word. Finally, Levi looked back at their son, and Eren sighed and said, "Alright, baby, if you want to do that, we'll do it."

* * *

"If you get too scared, turn around. That'll be signal for Daddy to come out."

"Okay."

"And I'll be right here in case something goes wrong. Stay close to me."

"Okay, Papa."

Levi, Eren, and their son stood in the middle of a large, open field deep in Wall Maria. There were no villages for miles, so hopefully no one would see any Titan steam and report the incident thinking that the Wall had been breached. Eren and Levi were both wearing their uniforms, but only Levi was wearing the 3D Maneuver Gear. He held onto his son's hand as Eren bent down to give him a kiss and a long hug.

"Remember that it's just me in there," he said comfortingly. "I use this power to protect people, to protect you. I love you so much, baby." With another kiss, he stood and walked out until he was a safe distance away from his husband and son. He looked back at them, nodded once, and brought his hand to his mouth.

_BOOM!_

The shock of the transformation made the boy jump as he clung to Levi and watched with glossy, wide eyes as the 15 meter Titan formed. The ground rumbled and the wind was strong as the large body slammed against the earth and steam blew out. The little boy reflexively covered his ears when the Titan let out a loud roar. Levi tried to remain steadfast. He had seen this transformation so many times before, so it shouldn't have bothered him, but feeling the tightening grip around his leg instilled a strong sense of fear in him. Every insecurity he'd ever had about Eren's Titan came rushing back into his mind, and he bent down to put a comforting arm around his son.

When the steam cleared and the rumbling calmed, Levi and his son looked up and made eye contact with Eren. The Titan looked just as it always did, with its long, brown hair, bright green eyes, pointed ears, and multi-layered jaw. It was incredible really, to see such a massive creature that could easily eat them just stand there waiting for instructions. That eased Levi's tension a little bit.

"Eren," Levi called out, causing the Titan to tilt its head to the side, "if you can hear and understand me, wave your right arm." He let out a sigh when the Titan followed his instructions, and he turned to their son, who stood still, staring at what was supposed to be humanity's enemy.

"Daddy…" he whispered. He hesitated at first but then waved back, making Levi smile slightly.

"Do you want to give Daddy a command?" he asked.

His son then did something he didn't expect. He broke away from his papa and slowly walked a few feet towards the Titan, stopping at what was still a safe distance. He waved again and called out, "Daddy, can you kneel down please?"

And, just like that, the Titan lowered itself. First, it got down on its hands and knees, then it lowered its head until its chin was on the ground. Seeing the giant teeth and the piercing eyes up close made the little boy nervous, but he took another step forward, then another, and another, until he was right next to the Titan's jaw. Every parental instinct in Levi's mind told him to grab his son and run, but he stayed put and waited. He trusted Eren.

Slowly, the boy reached out as Eren lowered his Titan's head further until the boy could touch its nose. It was almost comical to see his tiny hand rest on the tip. He jerked it away at one point when he felt steam leave the Titan's mouth, but he soon put it back, and the Titan closed its eyes in thanks. Even from a distance, Levi could see that Eren was just as nervous as he was.

But the sight was blurred by tears.

"Daddy…" the little boy whispered, standing on his tip-toes, "…I love you, Daddy."

And he kissed Eren's Titan right on the tip of its nose.

* * *

Eren and Levi ate a quick, quiet dinner with their son that night. Even though he had built up stamina over the years, forming his Titan still took a toll on Eren, so he was physically tired while Levi was emotionally drained, though the shorter would never show it.

When dinner was over, Levi gave their son a bath and went to dress him in his pajamas, but the boy stopped him. "I can do it by myself, Papa."

Levi smiled slightly and nodded. "Of course you can. I'll be right back to tuck you into bed." He left his son's room and walked across the hall to the master bedroom, where Eren had just finished putting on his own pajamas. Levi didn't say a word as he stripped himself of his uniform and slipped on a pair of pajama pants, but Eren wrapped his arms around him before he could put on his top.

Eren kissed his husband's cheek. "I'm not worried about him," he said. "He's smart and mature for his age, and he knew what he was asking for. I think we made the right choice."

Levi sighed and leaned against him. "I hope so. We promised him that we wouldn't keep secrets from him anymore, and, as much as I'd love for him to live a life without Titans, we should have known that that's impossible. Whether we like it or not, this is our normal."

Eren nodded and kissed down Levi's face to his neck and shoulder. "You're a good papa."

Levi didn't respond to that. He just turned around brought Eren's face towards him, but he paused before they made any actual contact. "Can I kiss you?"

Eren smiled. "You don't need to ask. You can kiss me whenever you want." His smile faded when Levi still hesitated. "Levi—"

Levi suddenly kissed him. When they pulled apart, the shorter let out a sigh. "Sorry."

"You don't need to be sorry," Eren said as he cupped his husband's face. "We've had so many kisses since then, Levi. I had always dreamed of you kissing me, so I couldn't imagine waking up to anything nicer. And now I'm yours to kiss whenever you want." He went back in for another kiss, and their lips were just about to touch when Levi spoke.

"We have company."

The two shifted their gazes towards their bedroom door, which was cracked open slightly. Eren smirked, pulled away from Levi, opened the door, and grabbed their son on the other side, bringing the squealing boy into a cuddly embrace. "You little devil," Eren teased as he tickled his son's sides. The boy laughed hysterically as Eren plopped him on his and Levi's king-sized bed, and Levi could only smirk.

"You wanna sleep in our bed tonight, baby?" he asked, smirk widening when the boy nodded.

"Slumber party!" Eren announced, but he paused and ran across the hall before he got into bed. When he came back, he had a cuddly friend with him. "There enough room for another me?"

"Yes!" his son said happily, taking the toy from him and squeezing it in his arms. He scooted into the middle of the bed when his parents took their respective sides, and Levi blew out his candle so only Eren's candle remained lit. It was a warm night at the end of August, probably one of the last warm nights they'd have until next summer, so Levi didn't mind going to bed shirtless that night.

Only several things caught his son's eye. "Are those all your scars, Papa?"

Levi looked down at himself and nodded. "Some of them are from the Survey Corps, but most of them are from the underground."

"Do they hurt?"

"Not anymore."

"That's good." The boy reached out and gently touched one of them, the one that went from Levi's shoulder down to his hip. "Is this from when that one Titan bit you?"

Levi nodded. "Yes, but, you know, not all scars are bad." He pushed the bed sheets off his body so his lower torso was visible in the dim light. "See this one down here? This is my scar from when you were born."

"Right under there is where you lived and grew until you were ready to come out," Eren explained. "It's a happy scar!"

The boy giggled and threw his arms around Levi's neck, his papa responding with a hug while Eren hung onto his plush lookalike. His heart melted at the sight of his husband and their son so loving with one another.

"Papa?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I be a doctor when I grow up?"

Levi pulled away to get a good look at his son, and Eren's eyes widened as memories of his own father's work flashed through his mind. Despite everything Grisha had done, despite all the struggles humanity had had to face because of him, Eren couldn't hate his father. Grisha had done so much for so many people. He had saved lives. Eren couldn't imagine a better occupation for his son.

"I told you that you could be anything you want to be," Levi said firmly, "and I meant that. If you want to be a doctor, you can be a doctor. Doctors are very important."

"Your grandpa, my father, was a doctor," Eren added. "Doctors and nurses heal you when you're sick or hurt, and they also help with happy things. You know Miss Zita? She's training to deliver babies like the midwife who delivered you did. She's a special kind of doctor in that sense, and there are all sorts of special doctors. There are many ways to help people."

"Then I want to be a military doctor," his son said confidently. "I want to help soldiers when they're hurt and help their families while they're away. Can I do that?"

Levi wrapped his arms back around his son and held him close, embracing him with all the love and support he had. "Yes, you can do that. That's an excellent idea, baby."

His son smiled at his approval, but that smile flattened quickly. The boy squirmed in Levi's arms and then hoisted himself up so he was straddling his legs, and he looked at the man seriously, yet there was an insecurity to his voice when he spoke. "Papa…I'm…not a baby anymore."

That truth slapped Levi and Eren so hard that they couldn't respond at first. Eren stared at Levi, who stared at their son, who looked back at Levi. He sat there on his papa's torso, biting his lip and gathering all his courage simply to maintain eye contact. Part of him feared that all the support and approval he had just received would disappear.

But then Levi gently took the boy's hands in his own, his entire demeanor softening as he nodded. "You are absolutely right," he said. "You aren't a baby anymore. Babies don't walk or talk, they can't feed or dress themselves, and they certainly can't be as brave and understanding as you. You aren't a baby, you're child who's growing into a young man." He brought the boy's hands to his lips and kissed them before looking up and continuing, "But you're MY baby, and you'll always be my baby. So how about this be the last night we call you that? Deal?"

The boy nodded. "Deal."

Eren smirked. "That means that we get to call you 'baby' as much as we want for the rest of the night!"

Levi smirked right back. "Yes, it does." He pulled their son into a hug, the boy giggling sweetly as Eren and Levi both kissed his pink cheeks.

When Eren pulled away, he smoothed down his son's hair and sighed, smiling. "You were so brave today, baby, so brave. We know adults who aren't half as brave as you."

The boy shrugged. "When Papa was in the hospital, I told you that I would still love him if he lost an arm or a leg or if he couldn't see or hear or talk. He would still be Papa no matter what happened to him. It's the same with you, Daddy. If you had to be a Titan forever, I'd still love you. You'd still be Daddy."

Eren almost burst into tears.

Levi noticed this and pulled him down for a kiss so he could muffle his whimpers. "Yes, he'd still be Daddy," he said once he pulled away, "and I'd still love him, too." He leaned back against the pillows, and Eren followed suit, so all three of them were lying down, the little boy resting on top of Levi's chest, ear right next to that heartbeat he loved so much. Levi soothingly combed his fingers through his hair, and, in no time, the boy was starting to get drowsy.

"You've done so much growing up in this one year, baby," Eren said quietly. "We're so proud of you."

His son smiled at the praise, and the room fell into a peaceful silence. The boy's eyelids were starting to get heavy, and Eren and Levi were sure that he would be asleep at any moment, but he surprised them with his voice. "Papa."

"Hmm?"

"A year ago tonight, you told me the story of the fighter and the good monster after that nightmare woke me up, but I fell asleep before I could hear the end of it. The good monster turned into a man, right? What happened to them?"

Levi smiled.

"The two men immediately began living together, and, a few years later, they got married. And then, another few years later…"

Levi kissed the top of his son's head.

"…they had a precious baby boy, and they were the happiest they could ever be. The end."

The boy smiled sleepily. "I like that story, Papa."

Levi nodded. "I like it, too."

Eren blew his candle out, and the room fell into darkness.

"Good night, baby, sweet dreams."


	44. Next Story

_Commander Hanji Zoe's Log_

_Subject: Carlton Jaeger (son of Eren and Levi Jaeger)_

_Observations, Experiments, and Conclusions_

_(If found, please return to the Survey Corps.)_

_Year 860 (beginning September 1st): Carlton, Age 5, Aoife, Age 0._

_School has begun. Carlton is in the same class as his friends Andres and Nadiv, along with another boy named Hadeon._

_Reiner and Bertholdt announced that they were married in secret. Well, more like Eren pointed out their matching rings in front of everyone, so they had no choice but to announce it. Nobody reacted negatively._

_Connie and Sasha celebrated their first year anniversary at home with their family._

_Carlton is excelling in all his classes, but he's remained humble. He's still quiet but not as shy._

_New Survey Corps Recruits: 30_

_Year 861 (beginning January 1st): Carlton, Age 5. Aoife: Age 0._

_Armin and Annie are married. It was a small, private ceremony with no reception, because Annie didn't want to draw attention to herself._

_I led my first expedition outside the Walls. We managed to set up a small camp about eighty kilometers south of Zhiganshina. Only six Titans were sighted throughout the entire expedition, and five were killed. Soldier Casualties: five dead, two seriously injured, four with minor injuries._

_Carlton invited Hadeon over. He refused._

_Aoife celebrated her first birthday._

_Commander Dot Pixis of the Garrison passed away this morning. Squad Leader Rico Brzenska is Commander now._

_New Survey Corps Recruits: 26_

_Year 862 (beginning January 1st): Carlton, Age 6. Aoife: Age 1._

_Armin and Annie celebrated their first wedding anniversary._

_Carlton's teacher asked Eren and Levi to a meeting. Carlton is at the top of his class, but the teacher believes that he's too advanced for it. He suggested Carlton skip to the next grade. After discussing the matter with Carlton, Eren and Levi refused._

_I led another expedition outside the Walls. We set up another camp about a hundred kilometers south of Zhiganshina. Ten Titans were spotted, and six were killed. Soldier Casualties: seven dead, one seriously injured, three with minor injuries._

_Hadeon agreed to come over the Jaeger house, but he refused to stay for dinner._

_New Survey Corps Recruits: 41_

_Year 863 (beginning January 1st): Carlton, Age 7. Aoife, Age 2._

_Zita has completed her training and is now a full-fledged midwife. She just delivered her first baby, a healthy boy to a Garrison family in Trost. Levi and I don't have the heart to tell her that Erwin isn't the marrying type._

_Jean and Mikasa are engaged._

_Hadeon's father, a man who aligned himself with the old Military Police, discovered that his son was visiting the Jaeger house. He's been banned from visiting again. Carlton cried, explaining that they had made so much progress towards becoming friends. Andres and Nadiv agreed and comforted him._

_I led another expedition outside the Walls. This one was merely to kill as many Titans as possible. Fifteen Titans were spotted, and eleven were killed before we had to turn back. Soldier Casualties: nine dead, four seriously injured, twenty with minor injuries._

_Annie is pregnant. So far, she has no nausea whatsoever._

_The trainee class containing the rescued children from the underground graduated._

_New Survey Corps Recruits: 102_

_Year 864 (beginning January 1st): Carlton, Age 8. Aoife, Age 3._

_According to Garrison lookouts, no Titans have been spotted near the Walls in weeks. We may be on the verge of a breakthrough._

_Jean and Mikasa are married. The reception was huge, with the entire Survey Corps wanting to congratulate Humanity's Second Strongest and nearly the entire city of Trost looking for an excuse to party._

_Hadeon has been spending more time with Carlton, Andres, and Nadiv at school. His father is considering moving him to another class. Carlton is still at the top of his class, which is causing jealousy and friction amongst his classmates. He's been bullied recently, but he hasn't let it bother him too much. He says that, as long as his parents and friends love him, he's okay._

_I led another expedition beyond the Walls to check on our camps south of Zhiganshina. This one was short, and no Titans were spotted. Our base camps have remained untouched. Soldier Casualties: none. This marks the first time the Survey Corps has ever not lost a soldier on an expedition._

_Sasha is pregnant with her second child. Aoife is excited to be a big sister._

_Annie gave birth to a healthy baby girl named Raisa. Her labor was easy. She had no sickness or pain throughout her pregnancy, and her cravings were minimal. Hypothesis: A female Titan Shifter's Titan-laced DNA protects her from illness during pregnancy the same way it does in average life. I want to know if this would be the same for a human woman carrying a Titan Shifter's offspring or if she would experience the same sickness Levi did, but that shall remain a mystery. Additionally, because Ymir and Historia don't want children, whether or not two women could produce offspring shall also remain a mystery. Whether or not Raisa will demonstrate the same mind/body characteristics as Carlton (slightly accelerated healing, accelerated brain development, etc.) remains to be seen. I'd also like to know if Annie is capable of having another child. Also, if she could have another child, would that child also be a girl? Hypothesis: The offspring of a Titan Shifter has the same biological sex as the Titan Shifter. I want to know, but Armin and Annie are the only ones who can decide if they want another child._

_New Survey Corps Recruits: 54_

_Year 865 (beginning January 1st): Carlton, Age 9. Aoife, Age 4. Raisa, Age 0._

_Apparently Bertholdt cried for hours after visiting Armin, Annie, and Raisa. Reiner came to me asking if there was any possible way he and Bertholdt could have a child, so I explained the situation to him using the same blood test I had used to break the news to Eren and Levi. It didn't go over well. I asked Zita to put them on a list in case she knew of any children who needed to be adopted._

_Jean and Mikasa celebrated their first wedding anniversary._

_Eren, Levi, Carlton, and I agreed that I can perform some minor experiments with Carlton when he turns twelve. For now, he's just trying to get through school. The classmates who were bullying him know who his parents are, and they've completely stopped acknowledging him at all. Andres and Nadiv are still by his side. Hadeon is still in his class, and the rumor is that he's trying to convince the other children to get to know him._

_I led another expedition beyond the Walls. We set up another camp about fifty kilometers southwest of the hundred-kilometer camp. Five Titans were spotted, and all five were killed. Soldier Casualties: One dead, three seriously injured, two with minor injuries._

_Sasha gave birth to a healthy baby boy named Neil._

_Raisa celebrated her first birthday._

_Aoife started school and she's thrilled to be in the same building as Carlton. She already has a best friend, a little girl named Marvelle._

_New Survey Corps Recruits: 43_

_This is the highest the Survey Corps population has ever been._

_Year 866 (beginning January 1st): Carlton, Age 10. Aoife, Age 5. Raisa, Age 1. Neil, Age 0._

_Reiner and Bertholdt, by order of the monarchy, are forbidden from having their own children, and Zita was ordered to take them off the wait list for adoption. Even Erwin's voice has no power here. I suggested that they become mentors to new recruits within the Survey Corps. Through tears, Bertholdt agreed, knowing that would be the closest he'd ever come to being a parent. All of our hearts ache for them. When asked why Annie was allowed to have her own children, it was explained that Armin was there to keep tabs on her. Horrible._

_Carlton recently spent the day with Aoife and Marvelle. Marvelle has a bad leg, which, according to her parents, she's had since she was a baby, so she can't run and has some difficulty walking. Carlton has decided to play the role of her big brother since apparently her classmates have been teasing her about it. Nobody messes with a Jaeger._

_Neil celebrated his first birthday._

_I led another expedition outside the Walls. This time, we headed north to set up another camp. We spotted Titans about seventy kilometers out. We spotted eleven Titans overall, and we killed seven. Soldier Casualties: seven dead, six seriously injured, and seven with minor injuries. When Eren and Levi returned home, a teary Carlton greeted them. He may be growing up, but he still clings to the two of them._

_Mikasa is pregnant._

_New Survey Corps Recruits: 36_

_Year 867 (beginning January 1st): Carlton, Age 11. Aoife, Age 6. Raisa, Age 2. Neil, Age 1._

_We will not go on any expeditions this year._

_Word is that Hadeon stood up to his father and is spending time at the Jaeger house again (though he still refuses to stay for dinner). With Carlton, Andres, Nadiv, and Hadeon together, nobody stands a chance. Aoife and Marvelle both love to spend time with Carlton, and Aoife seems to have a crush on him. Marvelle is quite clingy, too._

_Carlton just turned twelve, so experiments have begun. I asked him if he has any urges or instincts to transform into a Titan or merely to harm himself. He said no to both. I asked him if he has ever had memories that were not his own. He said no. I asked him if he's ever had strange, sudden thoughts or if he's ever mentally or physically felt something foreign within him. He said no to both. So far, he does not display Shifter mentality._

_Mikasa gave birth to healthy twin boys named Masaru and Mordred (the M being for Marco, or so I hear). Leave it to Mikasa to naturally deliver healthy twins without a midwife. By the time Zita arrived at the house, she and Jean had already cleaned and fed both boys. Zita found the whole family taking a nap in the master bedroom. Carlton officially has cousins, and Eren and Levi are officially uncles. Jean's mother is beside herself with joy._

_Eren, Levi, and I took Carlton out to an open field in Wall Maria today. I gave Carlton a needle and asked him to prick his fingertip while thinking of a specific goal. Eren, Levi, and I stood back, all wearing our uniforms and gear just in case, and gave Carlton the signal. He pricked a finger, and nothing happened. He did it again, and nothing happened. By the time he got to the third finger, he was in tears, and Levi ended the experiment before I could. He and Eren immediately took their son back home._

_Conclusion: Carlton Jaeger has no Titan Shifting abilities. Aside from his slightly accelerated healing and advanced intellect, he is a normal human boy._

_Carlton is also officially done with primary school. He is now a doctor's apprentice. I asked Eren how he felt about that, and he said that he was proud of his son for devoting himself to such a noble cause._

_New Survey Corps Recruits: 45_

_Year 868 (beginning January 1st): Carlton, Age 12. Aoife, Age 7. Raisa, Age 3. Neil, Age 2. Masaru and Mordred, Age 0._

_Carlton apologized to me for not being able to help with Titan research. I told him that he did help me, that we now know that Titan Shifting isn't a gene. I want to test this on Raisa, too, and I also want to test her intelligence and brain development, but I'll only do that if Armin and Annie allow it._

_Speaking of them, Armin and Annie do not want any other children. My previous questions about the possibility of a female Titan Shifter having another child and about children taking on the biological sex of the Titan Shifter will remain a mystery. I should be disappointed, but I don't think I am. I almost want all of this to fade away someday._

_Ymir said something about trying to force Eren and Levi to admit that her baby showed gift worked. No one had any idea what she was talking about, but Eren and Levi both gave her dirty looks and refused to respond._

_Masaru and Mordred celebrated their first birthday._

_Reiner and Bertholdt told Carlton that they're also Titan Shifters. He embraced them and replied that he knew._

_Year 869 (beginning April 12th): Carlton: Age 14. Aoife, Age 8. Raisa, Age 4. Neil, Age 3. Masaru and Mordred, Age 1._

_Survey Corps soldiers and their families are starting to move outside the Walls._

_Year 870 (beginning May 23rd): Carlton, Age 15, Aoife, Age 9. Raisa, Age 5. Neil, Age 4. Masaru and Mordred, Age 3._

_In the past two years, we've only encountered about a dozen or so Titans. Soldier Casualties: two dead, three seriously injured, eight with minor injuries._

_Year 873 (beginning April 29th): Carlton, Age 18. Aoife, Age 12. Raisa, Age 8. Neil, Age 7. Masaru and Mordred, Age 5._

_More people are moving outside. We're thriving._

_I don't know how it's happening, but there are so few Titans out here. What is going on?_

_…I'm getting bad at updating this notebook. Ilse Langnar would be disappointed._

_Year 878 (beginning October 13th): Carlton, Age 23. Aoife, Age 18. Raisa, Age 14. Neil, Age 13. Masaru and Mordred, Age 11_

_Carlton and Aoife went out on their first date._

_Dear god, the world is beautiful._

* * *

A shrill wail rang out throughout the house.

"Your turn."

A man laughed and pushed the bedsheets off himself. "I know," he said, an exhausted smile on his face. "You make it very clear every time it's my turn."

His wife grinned, her eyes still closed. "Get to it before Ymir screams at us from across the village again."

The man laughed again and stood, heading across the hall towards the nursery. "Heh, I don't think I'm the one who got to her first." He opened the door to the nursery and smiled gently at the scene. "Hey, Pop."

Levi looked up at his son, bouncing a crying baby in his arms. He quickly shifted his gaze away from Carlton, instead focusing on comforting the little girl. "I heard her cry and…"

Carlton nodded. "I know, thanks, Pop. Give her here." He reached out and Levi gently passed him the infant. She immediately clung to her daddy's nightshirt, still sobbing and occasionally letting out little screams.

Levi shook his head. "No doubt she's Eren's grandkid. She has his overly healthy lungs."

"I dunno," Carlton said as he sat in the nursery's rocking chair, the very same rocking chair that had once been in his nursery, "have you heard how loud Sasha and Connie can be? For all we know, she got those lungs from Aoife's side of the family." He slowly started to rock back and forth while rubbing the little girl's back. Her cries began to calm, but she still clung to him as if her life depended on it.

Levi leaned back against the wall. "She got that from you, the clinginess. And there's no way in hell she's hungry or wants to play or needs her diaper changed right now. She's tired as all hell, but she's also lonely. That's also you."

Carlton sighed, still smiling tiredly. "C'mon, I wasn't that bad."

Levi shook his head. "No, you weren't. We loved every single moment of it." He sighed quietly and, seeing that his son had the situation under control, headed back towards his and Eren's room, only Eren wasn't there. Levi looked out the window and then headed outside, walking down the beach until he reached his husband. "Hey."

"Hey," Eren replied as Levi sat down next to him. "Sorry, the baby woke me up, but I guess there isn't much point trying to sleep tonight, huh? She's having none of that." He looked back out at the ocean and sighed. "So I thought I'd come out here."

Levi nodded, also looking out at the water. "It really is beautiful, isn't it?"

Eren nodded again. "I just love looking at it."

They sat in a peaceful quiet for a few minutes, watching the waves lick the shoreline and listening to them crash. The moon was full that night, so it illuminated the calm waters and the soft sand just enough for Eren and Levi to see each other clearly. Eventually, the shorter rested his head on his husband's shoulder. Getting the hint, Eren wrapped his arm around Levi, and the two snuggled up on the beach.

"I hope she went back to sleep," Levi murmured.

Eren smiled. "Unfortunately, not every baby comes with a rocking chair-triggered mute button."

"Heh, yeah, we lucked out on that one. She usually falls asleep with that lullaby though." Levi smiled slightly. "Lullaby and goodnight/go to sleep, little baby/Now we love you more each day/while you sleep and while you play/The day is done so take a break/We'll be here when you wake/It's time to fall asleep by any means/You have to catch the unicorn to your dreams/Run through a rose garden and smell the flowers/Take your time and sleep for hours/Fly through the stars up in the sky/On the Wings of Freedom you'll go up there and fly/Tomorrow we'll go out and play in the sun/The Titans are gone so we can have fun/Lullaby and goodnight/go to sleep, little baby."

Eren hugged Levi a little bit closer. "That was beautiful."

But Levi wasn't thinking about his singing skills. "…I blinked and he grew up."

Eren frowned at the glumness in his husband's voice. He looked down and, sure enough, Levi's eyes were sad as he kept staring forward. Eren hesitated for a moment but then leaned down and kissed the top of Levi's head. "Just because he grew up doesn't mean he's not our son anymore."

Levi let out a short sigh and then nodded. "Connie was right, he broke my heart, but he did it in the best way. Our baby isn't a baby anymore, but he'll always be our baby. He'll always be that precious baby boy."

Eren nodded and gave his husband another kiss before turning his attention back to the ocean. They continued to sit in silence for a few more minutes until Eren spoke up again. "Hey, Levi?"

"Hmm?"

"If we could live again, what kind of life would you want to live?"

Levi cocked an eyebrow. "The hell kind of question is that?"

Suddenly they heard footsteps behind them. They turned and there stood Carlton, smiling tiredly with a shrug. "Next time it's Aoife's turn, so I thought I'd come out here."

Levi immediately broke away from Eren and pat the empty space between them. As soon as Carlton sat, Levi shook his head. "How the hell did I end up with two giants. I have a 6'5" husband and a 6'2" son. What happened to that little kid who was always too small for his age?"

Carlton grinned guiltily. "Sorry, it was that growth spurt when I was eighteen."

Levi shook his head. "Unbelievable."

"Maybe that could be something," Eren interrupted. "Would you want us not to be as tall?"

Carlton looked at him. "Huh?"

Levi rolled his eyes. "Your dad's being ridiculous. He asked me how I'd like things to be if we could live again."

Eren shrugged. "There's no harm in dreaming, right? I think we deserve that at least." He leaned over to get a good look at Levi, smiled, and said, "C'mon, what kind of life would you want to live?"

Levi sighed heavily. There was no winning this one, not with Eren looking at him with those eyes that had stayed so bright and green even into his old age. "…I'd want to be stable," Levi finally said. "I'd want a job that didn't involve putting my life or anyone else's life on the line. I'd want to wake up every morning and go to sleep at night knowing that everything was okay, that all of us were okay. And I'd want all of us to be alive and happy, all of us and all our friends who have passed. I'd just…want…to live peacefully."

Eren smiled at his husband's words, feeling himself fall in love all over again. Levi had the purest heart, even if he didn't often show it. "Yeah, I'd like all that," he agreed. "Also, hmm, I'd want you to be a bit more lighthearted. And maybe not as much of a clean freak."

Levi shot him a playful glare. "I'll meet you at lighthearted. And, if I'm going to be that way, then you won't suck at dancing, and you'll actually learn something from your dad and not mix up medicine jars."

"OH MY GOD, THAT HAPPENED ONCE!"

"Yeah, but it was hilarious, looking back on it," Carlton laughed. "At the time, not so much, but now, yeah. And, c'mon, Dad, you gotta admit, you'd probably burn the house down if Pop left you alone for too long." His grin widened at his dad's grumpy eye roll.

Levi's glare turned into a soft gaze, and he smiled slightly. "But I'd let both of you stay as tall as you are. I don't mind."

Carlton turned back to his pop and smiled back at him. "Dad's tall because of his Shifter DNA, right? But there would be no Titans in that next life. So…could he grow so tall?" He shrugged and then continued, "Well, Annie is still small, despite her Shifter DNA."

Eren and Levi whipped their heads to stare at their son with wide eyes. "Wha…Carlton…" Eren gasped out, "…you know that Annie's a Shifter? Did she ever tell you?"

Carlton shook his head. "No, I just knew. Don't tell her though, okay? She doesn't know that I know."

At that moment, another wail rang out, and this one was loud enough to reach the ears of the family on the beach.

"OH MY GOD, JAEGER, SHUT YOUR GODDAMN BRAT UP, WOULD YOU?! THIS IS NOT THE WAY I WANT TO KEEP HISTORIA UP ALL NIGHT!"

Carlton winced. "Ymir's awake."

Eren and Levi nodded. "We noticed."

Carlton sighed heavily as he stood and made his way back towards the house. "Ah, that's what I get for figuring out how the cucumber thing works, but I'm glad I did. Sorry, I should help Aoife. We'll try to give everyone at least a little sleep tonight." He grinned sheepishly as the other village residents opened their windows one by one to see the commotion. Carlton waved at them all, and they all smiled back sympathetically. Carlton only winced again when he heard what he assumed was Ymir's bedroom window slam shut.

Levi immediately moved back over so he was secure in Eren's arms again, shaking his head. "Let's not worry about our next lives for now," he said. "Let's just focus on getting through our granddaughter's infancy."

Eren threw his head back and laughed. "Yeah, that's our next mission," he agreed before settling himself so he was resting his head on top of Levi's. "Don't worry, it's nothing Humanity's Hope, Humanity's Strongest, their son, and their daughter-in-law can't handle."

And Levi couldn't help but feel his chest warm at that. That was his family, and it was steadily growing. And then there were all his friends and all the underground children who had all grown into fine adults and…this life wasn't so bad, even if it hadn't started out great. One by one, the windows closed behind him. Ymir and Historia. Connie and Sasha and Aoife and Neil. Mikasa and Jean and Masaru and Mordred. Reiner and Bertholdt. Armin and Annie and Raisa. Erwin. Hanji. Zita. Even Nile. Even Marlowe and Hitch. Andres and Nadiv and Hadeon and Marvelle. Eren and Levi and Carlton. All together. All living. All happy.

"Eren," Levi said quietly, turning towards his husband, "I love you. I mean it, even if I never really said it. I really, really love you. I lo—"

Eren cut him off with a kiss.

"I know," he replied. "I've always known, Levi. I love you, too. I love you so much, more than I can say. Please don't beat yourself up anymore, okay? Please don't think you haven't done enough. You've done so much more than you think. You deserve the world, Levi. I'd be fine with living any life as long as I got to fall in love with you." And he leaned in for another kiss.

A tear ran down Levi's cheek. For once, the whole wide world was in front of him instead of on his shoulders.

Carlton looked out the nursery window at the scene, smiling as he bounced his daughter in his arms. Aoife just shook her head with a smile, pushing her dark red hair out of her eyes to see her husband sit in the rocking chair. Next to it was the dresser, and on top of it sat an old friend. The Titan plush had seen its own battles over the years, and it was showing its age. A few patches covered tears, some of the hair had fallen off, and it had experienced quite a few intense washes. Nevertheless, it still sat there upright, with its friendly, happy smile and its soft, warm body and its widespread, inviting arms waiting for hugs. It sat there protecting its old friend's new family. The little girl clung to her daddy's nightshirt, her wails calming to hiccups as she felt his familiar warmth.

"Alright, baby, you gotta sleep," Carlton sighed as he began to rock back and forth. "You have to sleep so the rest of us can sleep! …Why don't I tell you a story? Grandpapa told me this story many years ago, on this night actually." He paused to pull back the hood of the pink bunny onesie and kiss his daughter's head, and her eyes (which would surely turn bright green one day) began to flutter closed. "And it's not just any story," he continued. "It's Humanity's Greatest Bedtime Story…about a fighter and a good monster."

He took a deep breath and sighed peacefully.

"Once upon a time…"

THE END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Masaru (Japanese origin): "victory"
> 
> Mordred (German origin): "brave counsel"
> 
> Raisa (Russian origin): "more relaxed"
> 
> Neil (Gaelic origin): "champion"
> 
> Carlton (English/German origin): "a settlement of free people"
> 
> (Carlton Jaeger all together is of German origin and means "hunter for a settlement of free people.")
> 
> And that's the end.
> 
> I have a lot of people to thank. First off, thank you to mitsucchi and babies-for-ereri on Tumblr for inspiring me to write an mpreg story in the first place. Mpreg is one of those things that isn't everyone's cup of tea, so I was worried that nobody would read the fic or that I'd get a lot of anon hate. However, the mpreg artwork these two did reassured me that there were at least a few people in the fandom who might like my idea. So thank you to you two.
> 
> Thank you to my IRL friends for supporting me in all my creative endeavors, even if they're not interested in whatever I'm working on at the time.
> 
> Thank you to Mom and Dad for checking up on me whenever I had writer's block and never asking what I was writing about.
> 
> And a really big THANK YOU to all of you! To all my followers, fans, and readers. It was because of your love and encouragement that I decided to continue on past the original oneshot. Your comments and reviews and recommendations mean the world to me and helped me keep going. THANK YOU.
> 
> This isn't the end though. I'll see you again soon in a modern AU spinoff. Please look for "Humanity's Greatest Disney Vacation" in the upcoming weeks.
> 
> I'm still sort of in shock that this fic took off at all. I really wasn't expecting to do anything beyond the original oneshot, but the response was so overwhelmingly positive that I decided to continue. And now look! This is my most popular fanfic ever by a wide margin! I guess that, like Carlton himself, it was unexpected but not unwelcome. I can truly say that I've never felt more welcomed into a fandom. Thank you.
> 
> And now I'm sure you're all wondering why I didn't reveal Carlton's name until the final chapter. Initially, because this was just going to be a oneshot, I didn't want to make a full-fledged OC. I feel as though once you name an OC, they truly become a character (now I have a plethora of OCs for this fic, holy crap). But then, after I continued writing, I decided to take inspiration from Hanji and do an experiment. I wanted to see if you readers would fall in love with Carlton even if you didn't know his name, and, as a matter of fact, you all did! I think this speaks volumes about who and what influences us and our lives. Carlton is a little boy throughout the entire main story. He isn't strong or powerful, not in the way we think of Attack on Titan characters anyway. He isn't famous and known in every household, but he does have influence, even if he doesn't realize it. He's kind to Annie and tells Armin that she's looking at him, causing Annie to want to become better as she falls in love with Armin and the Military Police really starts to clean up their act. He listens to Jean's theory about guardian angels without questioning him, so Jean starts to heal, eventually leading to him finding the courage to move on and be with Mikasa. He validates Bertholdt's feelings, which causes Bertholdt's confidence to grow so that he can realize that he deserves to be happy with Reiner. Carlton's actions are so small, but they have an influence on the people around him, and that influence influences other people in the same way ripples in water start small but grow overtime. So, if you think about it, you don't have to be big or powerful or famous to have influence. The world doesn't need to know your name for your smallest actions to change it. I'm also nameless to the world, but I really hope that I've managed to have an influence on your lives.
> 
> I know you all have had an influence on mine.
> 
> Thank you again. Follow me on Tumblr at gothicdancer if you'd like.
> 
> -GD


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